Of Dragons' Sorrows & Souls Reborn
by Mad-Dan90
Summary: A Player's life is forever changed in one life shattering moment. A joyful life with his "special" wife was torn away. Travel with Gabriel as his "normal" life in the original world ends & starts anew, with souls reborn under the worst of circumstances in the New World. *Having settled in, Gabriel tours his guildbase. What shall he discover within?*
1. Chapter 1-Prologue to the End

**Hey there my fellow Overlord, Fanfiction, & anime fans! This will be my 1st ever attempt at an Overlord fanfic & since it will be my 1st I ask only 2 things. First, please be gentle & not be too harsh on the new guy. Second, if you're able to grant request one, then I'm very much open to constructive criticism, ideas, and/or suggestions as long as it's done in a respectful, detailed, & intelligent manner. I think that's not TOO much to ask for, right? I wanted to do something a bit different from what most people usually do here so these starting chapters will be somewhat long & detailed & kinda' exposition heavy. You might want to scoff at that, but some might recall that the author of Overlord, Kugane Maruyama-sensei, had used a similar method to promote his world & character building. Additional, supplementary information will be provided in parentheses () so as to help readers. So with that in mind I hope you'll cut me some slack & I hope everyone will enjoy the fruits of my labors! Also, I give a very special thanks to the following people for providing ideas, inspiration, and for simply writing some of my favorite stories here that gave me the motivation to WANT to do this. So for various reasons thanks a million to:**

 **Chamaeleonx, Carlos783, ginobi47, levelgap, PervySageChuck, knaka148, Cayan, Garmadon35, pta917, the unknown spirit, FumeKnight, Grogery, Sasugasm, kits11, EvilDetective, and the fanfic community!**

 ***Author's Note: Just to let everyone know, this story will start out with a "Teen" rating but will still have some highly detailed & suggestive dialogue & text in regards to the use of language, violence, sexual content, & a dash of drama for good measure. If you feel it deserves a higher rating then don't hesitate to send me a PM with your reasoning behind that opinion & please be detailed in your message. Thank you!***

* * *

 **Chapter 1-Prologue to the End**

The man floated in a weightless void lacking sound, warmth, light, and form which appeared to stretch on endlessly. He looked neither fazed nor worried as he slept in this nothingness that seemed to comfort and cradle him as a mother's womb. Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of flame and light in the distance.

Despite the fact that the event was approximately fifty kilometers (31+ miles) away the man stirred and moved as if in response. For a brief moment all was still in the void while the newly formed ball of light and flame kept its position.

Slowly but surely however it started to move from its point of origin. First it moved down from its high position that had overlooked the void and then it slowly started to move towards the man. As it did the man's eyes stirred and slightly opened somehow knowing to expect something.

As the ball slowly moved towards him its shape began to twist and change from a sphere to something more defined as legs began to sprout from the bright and fiery mass. Then the shape continued to change as hind legs started to form, then a tail, a set of wings, and a long neck with head. The form coalesced and finally created the body of a dragon made up of light and flame.

Once formed, the dragon like mass was over forty-five feet in length (13.7 meters) with the tail included. An equally large wingspan that seemed to create sparks as it flapped its wings propelled it forward, and as it did it's color spectrum began to shift from bright fiery orange to an equally bright emerald green. In mere moments the man was quite literally face-to-face with this bright emerald flame dragon.

The light had done a great deal to illuminate the man, his features now clearly visible under the emerald glow. He was a muscular, six and a half foot (201 cm), well fit man whose naked physique was made up of toned, chiseled muscle that seemed to bulge and ripple under the skin even when he was at rest.

He had long, full blond hair that went down to the mid section of his back that appeared to float as if alive in the void. His eyes were a bright emerald green that seemed to match the radiance of the dragon before him.

Those eyes were still in a barely opened state, like he was emotionally unmoved by the magnificent sight and looked on as if in indifference. In fact, the man's eyes looked empty as he looked upon this bodiless flame dragon before him. The dragon's jaw moved but not to cause harm but it was as if to form words to speak.

After but a few seconds of what seemed to be an exercise to see if it actually could speak it's voice, though booming throughout the void, was a gentle, warm, and compassionate tone that could put at ease even the most frightened of souls. It was a soft, male tone that could be considered fatherly in nature.

"Gabriel." It said to the man, and in response the man weakly replied.

"...My name."

The dragon's facial features contorted into what could have been considered a warm smile and spread its wings out and then brought them underneath the man called Gabriel. The wings of emerald flame cradled Gabriel as if he were a child in a father's arms, while the flames themselves did no harm to his body.

They instead lightly enveloped him as if the flames themselves were a second skin to him. Gabriel felt warmth and peace from those flames, as if he had been made aware of something that he had long forgotten on the outer edges of his consciousness, but couldn't quite place what it was. He brought up his right hand as if to reach out to the emerald form above and in front of him but couldn't quite reach.

As if he hadn't the strength to move more than that. The flaming emerald dragon looked upon Gabriel and as he did this the smile faded into an expression of sadness and quite possibly regret as well. The dragon again softly spoke.

"I am sorry, I..."

The dragon tried to speak further, but the words ceased to be audible even though he continued to move his jaw. Gabriel slightly tilted his head to the left not understanding why the sudden change occurred. The flame dragon let out a long, exhausted sigh as it seemed to realize what had happened to its voice. After a moment it spoke again but its voice seemed weak and faded.

"Time to awaken."

Gabriel widened his eyes a bit and tilted his head slightly once again not quite understanding the meaning. The flame dragon tensed as if upset but held itself back from doing anything violent. Instead it raised its voice to such heights that it seemed to shake the void itself.

"WAKE UP!"

* * *

With the voice echoing in his mind Gabriel's eyes shot open. His breathing was labored and his bare chest glistened with sweat that seemed to shine in the low lighting from the windows of his penthouse apartment.

He moved his left hand up and placed his left forearm over his brow as he laid in a king sized bed that was covered in light blue, silk sheets. He stared up at the ceiling fan as he tried to calm his breathing. He managed to achieve this in about thirty-five seconds and as he did so he sighs and softly speaks to himself.

"That same dream again."

It was a dream, but one that had been coming to him randomly once a week for the past four weeks. As he kept his breathing steady he began to ponder on the meaning of this strange, repeating dream that had been hounding his sleep.

 _'What does it all mean?! I've never had this kind of dream before. It feels more like a memory, but that's impossible. Like I could have forgotten something like that!'_

Gabriel closed his eyes and sighed long and hard to try and dispel these thoughts because he knew he wouldn't get anywhere. He has seen and experienced many strange things in his life but recurring dreams outside of the occasional nightmare was definitely outside of what he knew firsthand. Although he knew of some beliefs that dreams could potentially contain messages, he wasn't the type that acted with little to nothing to go on.

Just as he was pondering this a feminine voice moaned next to him. He turned his head to the left to see the naked back of his lover and beloved, Alisha. She was the center of his world and his life, and as far as he was concerned hers was a beauty that could charm even the dead back to life.

The silk sheets had fallen off of her during the night, revealing her full splendor to the room. Her long, divine legs merely accentuated her toned and athletic six-foot frame (183 cm). Her silky short-cut, raven black hair seemed to reflect light with its healthy luster and sheen. At one-hundred and twenty pounds (54 kg) she couldn't be any more perfect to him.

Gabriel smiled as he gazed upon her, as her smooth and flawless skin seemed to glow in their dimly lit penthouse apartment. He moved to match her position and embrace her in his arms from behind. He looks over her shoulder to look down at her face and chest to see her firm C-cup breasts with her nipples perked up and erect in the cool air of the room. Her sleeping face was the perfect picture of tranquility as her breathing was a slow, steady, and relaxed pace.

No matter his troubles, being with her always calmed his worried and troubled heart. The softness of her skin, the smell of her perfume and natural musk, and the soft tones of her gentle voice and breathing always put him at ease. Even if he was raging with anger and/or hatred, or falling into a pit of sadness and sorrow, one touch of her skin on his and one sound whispered in his ear was all he needed to feel calm and centered again.

He looks at the clock next to their bed. It gave a full set of readings for the time, day, month, and year. The date reading was 07-06-2136, while the time reading was 4:05AM.

 _'Really? 4:00 in the fuckin' morning? Alisha is sleeping so peacefully, no way in hell I'll wake up this sleeping beauty at this hour over that damned dream!'_

Just as he was thinking to himself that waking his love now with his troubles would be an inconsiderate move on his part, she began to stir and move from feeling his warmth against her back and his arms wrapped around her waist. Using her right arm she slowly reached behind her to embrace his head as she could feel his breath on the back of her neck.

She smiled and turned her head to face him, revealing a pair of pearl-white and longer than average canine teeth. He didn't seem surprised or disturbed by the sight, nor was he shaken when he saw her slightly pointed ears, or gazed into her violet colored eyes that seemed to refract light like a feline's. This was all perfectly normal for him as she was a real-live vampire.

Unlike those vampires in fiction or those avatars used by Yggdrasil players, she was not a mythical undead creature but a real, living, breathing vampire. Also, despite what the myths would have people believe she and her kind are not unholy things cast out by God or whatever but just another species that quietly lived in the shadows of human civilization.

Gabriel always thought it was hilarious thinking back to all those ridiculous myths surrounding vampires, which included weaknesses to holy water, garlic, and crucifixes. On the contrary, she actually had a fondness for crucifixes and Christianity.

However, some of those old legends did hold true in some ways. Vampires were ageless as long as they kept themselves well nourished with fresh, healthy blood. Alisha herself was over five-hundred years old, but didn't look a day over twenty-two. In regards to the UV rays of sunlight, their grey colored skin was _extremely_ photosensitive and would burn the flesh off their bones with prolonged exposure, bringing a whole new meaning to the word, "sunburn".

Another weakness that held true was silver. It didn't hurt them because silver was a special metal to ward off evil, but was purely an allergic reaction to the compounds in the metal itself that acted like a virulent poison to them. And the most popular belief that held true was destroying the heart.

A vampire's heart was akin to the nucleus of their being, and even if the head was cut off recovery was still possible if treated quickly enough by reattaching the head and providing an ample supply of fresh blood. But if the heart took too much damage death was a very near certainty.

Just as he had become distracted by these inane thoughts she leaned back and deeply kissed him. Her soft lips meeting the warmth of his, their skin seemed to melt into one another. Her moist tongue hungrily forced itself into his mouth and very nearly coiled around his like an aggressive serpent. He always did enjoy the sweet taste of her saliva which reminded him of a watered down type of sweet syrup.

As their mouths continued to devour each other he gently guided his smooth but firm hands all along the contours of her body that was equal parts soft and firm due to her toned physique. After what amounted to twenty minutes of passionate french kissing and massaging they gently parted their mouths from each other as they both gazed into their eyes. Alisha then spoke in soft and sultry dulcet tones that could seduce people with the mere sound of her voice.

"Hmm. Good morning my love.~"

"You too my angel."

Gabriel's pet name for Alisha, "angel", was his way of emphasizing to himself and to her just how much of an impact she had on his heart and his life. She was his angel, his light, and his strength and he had happily given all that he was to her as they shared their lives together.

For her, every time she heard it she felt both equal parts joy and humility from the way he regarded her. Though she was a supremely confident individual, she was never arrogant and always counted herself lucky to have such a loving, caring, and selfless man in her long life, and despite his reverence for her or their differences she regarded him as her equal.

Of course, that didn't stop her from giving him a hard time every now and then, or playfully teasing him. Her smile softened, she turned around and as she embraced him back she spoke in a concerned tone of voice.

"My Gabriel, was it the dream again?"

He sighed. _'I swear keeping anything from her is nigh impossible.'_

"Yeah, angel. It was, and it's really starting to piss me off."

He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead into hers. If he had to be perfectly honest, he absolutely _hated_ that recurring dream. It wasn't enough that it was a constant nuisance to him getting a through a week without worrying about it happening, but moreover it left him with a disquiet he couldn't shake.

It was like a feeling that something was wrong somewhere, but with who or what he couldn't say. It was just a feeling that gnawed and ate at him, and to be perfectly honest his patience for the whole thing was wearing thin. Anything that disturbed his peaceful life with his beloved he had no tolerance for, even if that something was his own dreams.

Alisha for her part took it all in stride. She ran her fingers through his long, blonde hair that had set many women's hearts aflutter, including hers. She wasn't disturbed in the slightest, but instead she was concerned about the effect these dreams had on him. Gabriel knew asking her how she knew would be a stupid question of the highest caliber, but for the sake of hearing her sweet voice he decided he really didn't care and rolled with it anyways.

"So, how'd you know this time?"

Alisha chuckled at this thinking it was both cute and even strangely romantic.

"Oh, my Gabriel. I could tell even if we weren't bonded to each other. Your beautiful body is positively drenched in your delicious sweat, and though your breathing is normal I can still hear your heart pulsing and racing."

As she said this, she bent down slightly, and starting from the middle of his chiseled chest, and worked her way all the way up to his neck with her extended tongue being guided up the contours of his skin. He stood still letting her taste his flesh now glistening with his sweat.

As she slowly savored him he let out a small moan. Her tongue was moist and lubed, but rough like a cat's tongue and he loved how it felt on his skin. In a single move she wiped away his anxiety like it was the sweat on his skin. Gabriel smiles and thinks to himself while she is doing this.

 _'Heh. My heart's not the only thing that pulsing and racing now.'_

After doing this she got on top of him, he placed his hands on her waist, and as she straddled him she placed both her hands on his pecks and looked at him with a serious expression on her face.

"Listen my love, due to our bond I know how these dreams upset and disturb you. It is beyond my power to stop them, but it is not beyond my power to help you through it."

She leans down so that their foreheads meet once again. Hers was a very kind, friendly, caring, sensual, and affectionate personality. She was warm and giving, with the kind of warmth of personality that could charm wolves to dance with hares. Gabriel was not alone when he thought of her as an "angel".

There were many others who considered her to have the soul of an angel, as friends and acquaintances alike had agreed on that sentiment. She cherished life, people, and those she loved and cared for. Falling for her was one of the easiest things to do.

"Though it may be disturbing for you, I am certain this will pass in time and I will be here when it does." She smiles warmly as they gaze into each other's eyes once again, knowing more words were unnecessary.

The "bond" she spoke of was not something as mundane as a simple marriage where vows were taken. Alisha and a few other specific members of her kind possess some special abilities, and one of those special abilities is to bond themselves with those they choose as life-mates. After a simple ritual where blood is exchanged, a mental, physical, and in some cases even spiritual link is created.

The "Bonded" as they're simply called, can share strength, power, feelings, emotions, and even knowledge and memories when they willingly offer each others' blood. They become two halves of a whole and even from long distances they can feel the other's emotional and psychological states. This makes their relationship true and honest and renders deceit almost impossible.

Between vampires this is not a rare occurrence, but between a vampire and a human it is actually exceedingly rare. Gabriel was in fact the first human since the 1700s where the bond had successfully taken place. As a human bondmate he had received many gifts from Alisha which included enhanced senses, speed, strength, endurance, stamina, healing, knowledge, and most tellingly of all the gift of longevity.

Gabriel himself was born in 1904 in the United States, although he himself didn't look a day over thirty-two. Thanks to the bond he could gain some of the gifts of a vampire without having to actually becoming one, and thus still remained for all intents and purposes human.

They embraced once again, and for the next five hours they made love as if it were their first honeymoon. For Gabriel his enhanced physical state also gave him an extremely hyperactive sex drive. If one were to try to define it, it would be like being a promiscuous teenager, multiplied by a factor of ten. Their mutual hyper-promiscuity meant that sex was _always_ on their minds.

After being together for over two-hundred years, Gabriel knew Alisha's body better than a sailor knew the constellations in the sky, and knew _exactly_ how to get her to release her pent up energy without falling behind. Another benefit of their bond meant multiple, simultaneous orgasms that would have demolished their bed several times over if it weren't heavily reinforced for just such an occasion. Superhuman love-making can be dangerous after all!

"AARRRGAAH!"

"AAAAAAHHH!"

After hitting their limits they both experienced a torrential flood of euphoria as they hit their fifth hour in each other's arms. As they did however both of them slammed their bites into the other's neck. This was not to cause pain or harm. In fact it was quite the opposite. It was an extension of their bond, and it was even a sensual act for them.

As they struggled to regain their senses and calm their labored breathing they began to lick and clean the bloodshed from each other's necks, each consuming a portion of the other's blood as a show of the bond they shared. They both collapsed while maintaining an embrace with Gabriel on top of Alisha. Both of them struggled to get their breathing back under control, but as they were Gabriel smiled and whispered into Alisha's ear.

"Wanna go again, angel?"

Alisha was dumbstruck as she couldn't process what had just been purred into her ear. Wide eyed she stared at Gabriel, noting he was grinning ear to ear as she looked at him. She closed her eyes, then chuckled and then burst into full on laughter.

"AH HA HA HAH HA HA HA HAAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

After her uncontrolled fit of laughter her breathing was even more labored than it was before. It took her some time but her breathing started to calm while Gabriel's almost back to normal.

 _'Sneaky bastard.'_ She thought to herself as she smiled back at him and realized that his game was to be leaving her breathless in the end instead of the other way around.

It wasn't a game he played often, but when he did the result couldn't be more effective. He always did know how to drive her crazy.

"Heh. Oh, Gabe.~ When was the last time you pulled that stunt?" She cocked her left eyebrow and smirked as she waited for his reply.

"Oh, I don't know, it was such a long time ago.~" He looked away a bit and tried to look innocently when he gave his answer, and failed spectacularly since Alisha didn't buy it.

So she reached down, and slapped and grabbed his perfectly formed and muscular buttocks in each of her hands, whilst digging in with her sharp nails drawing blood. Despite her kind nature, she was also very flirty and very mischievous. Alisha could very well appreciate a good jest, but you had better be prepared to pay for it.

"Ugnnn!" He let out as he felt the cost of his joke.

Alisha continued to smirk as she spoke.

"Oh, really? I seem to recall you having a near photographic memory even _before_ our bond. Try again.~"

 _'Heh. She got me there, and there, and OW!, there.'_ Gabriel thought to himself as his back arched from the sharp pain digging into both his ass cheeks.

Alisha was smiling and seemed to be enjoying herself making his back arch, but for vastly different reasons.

"Whew! Okay! Alright! It was about fifty years ago. Ow! We were in France and as I recall we were taking a break that year from our 'globetrotting'. We made love all through the night. Even got the attention of some curious tenants with all the noise we made in 'that' hotel."

He winks at her at that last part and she had quite a lovely grin remembering that particular evening.

Seeming satisfied with his answer she very slowly released the steel death grip she had on his ass, and as he collapsed his head on her chest she then proceeded to lick the blood dripping from each of her nails one by one. She speaks to him in a sultry and mischievous tone.

"That's what happens when you're _too_ naughty my love.~"

"Yeah. Ugh. I got that. But at least it wasn't as bad as last time." He said as he sighs in relief.

"Last time?~ Oh! You mean that one time when you thought you'd get away scot-free and I showed you otherwise, extending my fangs into your d..."

"STOP!" He abruptly interrupted as he grimaced upon recalling the events in question. As much as he loved Alisha he was _not_ fond of that particular memory.

*sighs* "Alisha?"

"Hmm? Yes sweetie~?" Responding with a mischievous grin as she gently caresses his now slowly healing ass cheeks.

He lifts his head so that they are staring into each other's eyes and smiled at her.

"You can be soooo evil."

Alisha doesn't respond with words, but simply smiles back at Gabriel and kisses him deeply. Suddenly, she grabs him and rolls him on his back so she's the one on top again. Slowly parting her lips from his, she winks at him, kisses him again briefly, and then slowly gets up and off of him and starts moving from the bed.

"Come my sweet blonde stud. It's morning."

Before she can leave, he grins, looks at her back and responds.

"I'm pretty sure I did. About eight or nine times. Kinda' lost track."

Responding immediately, she grabs a nearby pillow and starts smothering him with it while both are laughing.

"Oh,my, GOD, you are horrible!"

Still laughing he throws the pillow to the side and just smiles at her with his bright emerald colored eyes that always seemed to soften her up and ensnare her heart and soul with his gaze. She leans down and kisses him, and then he comments.

"I've yet to hear you complain.~"

She looks at him knowing he had her there, and in truth she loved how he could drive her crazy. And as much as she regarded him as her equal partner, lover, and beloved bondmate she was still _very_ competitive, especially when it came to witty repartee cum pillow talk.

She then slowly started to glide her hand from his muscular chest, abs, and then finally grabbing his manhood. Bringing her lips to his left earlobe, she softly bites it and purrs whispered nothings to him.

"Honey, if you really want to impress me, go for ten.~"

She releases her grip, turns around, and walks away with a triumphant swagger. However, without skipping a beat Gabriel sits up and comments with a smile.

"Humph. Challenge accepted, babe."

She lets out an overly exaggerated sigh as she smiles to herself.

 _'After all this time he STILL needs to have the last word. And I love him for it.~'_

While Alisha makes her way to the shower Gabriel gets up from their bed and as he does so he notices a green light flashing from their home computer terminal. He walks over to the desk, sits down, and turns on the holographic display.

Everything in their penthouse apartment was top of the line, showing that they lived well and had the resources to do it. The display shows all their recent messages received from their various accounts, and notices only one new message.

"Well, isn't that interesting." He mutters to himself.

With Alisha's hearing she heard him perfectly and raises her voice to sate her own curiosity.

"What's so interesting?"

Gabriel raises his own voice to reply as simply a reflex to the question while reading the message.

"Just checked our messages. Apparently the 'shitty devs' have announced that the YGGDRASIL servers will be shutting down in about two years."

Just as he had finished that statement a sound of some plastic bottles falling down on the floor could be heard in their bathroom. Gabriel was surprised by the sudden racket so he turned around from the desk and spoke up.

"Hey Alisha! Everything okay?"

"Y-Yes. Everything's fine. Just being clumsy."

Gabriel thought to himself as he turned to face the computer to finish reading the whole announcement.

 _'That's odd. She's very rarely clumsy with anything. I did feel her surprise for a second there. I guess even vampires have their moments. That's actually a comforting thought._

What YGGDRASIL was to them, was a virtual reality DMMO-RPG (Dive Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) that was released in 2126, and was a game that emphasized exploration, and customization. It was a game where all you were told were the controls before being thrown into the world, learning and discovering as you went. In other words, YGGDRASIL's special feature was the incredible amount of freedom given to its players.

Although the game used full virtual reality technology, in accordance to physical laws, it does not provide a sense of smell or taste, and the sense of touch was actually quite limited. In addition, due to the lack of such technology when it was developed, facial expressions were not supported, and artificial intelligence was simple in nature.

What allowed YGGDRASIL stand out and attract a great number of people, was its flexible system to permit players to freely make a great number of choices. Players could select numerous races and jobs, and gain access to various tools and programs for customization within the game.

Should a player use creator tools that were sold separately, one could freely alter the looks and designs of weapons, armor, interior data, character visuals, and advanced settings of their in-game residences or bases. The philosophy of customization was quite far-reaching and broad, even extending to basic programming in some instances.

Gabriel smiles to himself as he turns off the monitor, gets up to stretch and yawns like a bear coming out of winter hibernation. He hears the shower turn on and after a few minutes he hears Alisha calling to him.

"Oh, Gabe?~ Get your nice ass moving. The water is perfect.~"

"Heh. Yes, ma'am." He says with a wry grin.

An hour later they finish their time in the shower and begin a routine of checking messages, watching brief snippets of news stories, and while Gabriel was cooking breakfast for himself, Alisha pulls out what seems to be a red wine bottle from their refrigerator and pours herself a full helping in a large wine glass.

In truth it wasn't wine but a special blood/wine mix that her kind sold in several underground markets. She sits down at the dining room table, and turns off their TV after the news story about YGGDRASIL's announced shutdown started to play.

Gabriel approached with his breakfast, which consisted of three helpings of hash browns, six scrambled eggs, ten strips of bacon, two slices of wheat toast, and an entire pitcher of orange juice with about ten different multivitamin pill supplements.

He sat down, downed all those supplements in one gulp and dug into his food with almost wild abandon. Alisha simply watched him with a wry smile as he ravaged his food like a starving man.

With the exception of certain types of meat in some small quantities, she couldn't eat the same foods as him. Although there was a slight pang of regret for that, she genuinely enjoyed watching him eat. Since his increased metabolism required him to eat more food than most people she thought of it as a cute and a little entertaining show.

While he was plowing through his meal Gabriel spied a few glances at Alisha while she was elegantly drinking and savoring her bloodwine. He recalled he had a small amount once, just to try it out. He had to admit that it wasn't half bad and even shared a bottle with her on special occasions, and she adored him for that because it was one more thing that they could share together.

Although she never said anything to him about it he could feel that she regretted not being able to share his home cooked meals with him. Cooking was one of his _many_ aptitudes. He would often tend to the catering for the little gatherings their mutual friends would host. As soon as he thought of their friends a question formed in his mind.

"Hey angel. Since you were checking messages while I was cooking, you see anything from anyone about the recent YGGDRASIL announcement?"

She paused for a few seconds before carefully setting her glass down and turned to smile at Gabriel.

"Sorry, Gabe. Nothing was sent, but considering the guild membership, not hearing anything from even two-thirds of them for long stretches of time is kind of normal."

He thought on the answer given as he started to finish up his meal.

 _'She's got a point there. We know some interesting people to be sure. A lot of them are active duty military, special forces, mercs, spies, police, and we even have a couple of contract assassins. One retired, and one who's still VERY active. Hearing from all those hard cases inside of a day in short order would take nothing less than a miracle to happen.'_

He thought back to the first time they even started the game. One year after YGGDRASIL's launch, it was actually Alisha's idea to pick it up and give it a try. It seemed like fun so he took on an attitude of, "Sure why not?", when it was suggested. So Gabriel, Alisha, and a childhood friend named Jon joined in and those first three become their first YGGDRASIL adventuring party.

Alisha chose the heteromorphic race, undead vampire because, sure why not? True she was a living vampire in real life, but Gabriel figured it shouldn't be too much of a leap for her to role-play a YGGDRASIL vampire. She focused on a one handed retractable sword build with an assortment of support and combat spells from the divine school of spell casting for versatility in combat. It complimented her real life fighting style which focused on hard, fast attacks to tear down opponents.

His friend Jon chose werewolf, because like Alisha he chose a race that reflected what he was in real life, and in his case a real live werewolf. Gabriel had known him since childhood, and he was like the uncle he never had in some cases. Like Alisha he was almost nothing like the mythic/fictional versions of his race. Although the vulnerability to silver was still a thing, he didn't change with the full moon after his abilities had fully matured after a century.

He had nearly full and conscious control over any of his transformations, but due to the strain it puts on his body and metabolism, he would be as weak as a cub the following day, so unless an emergency required it he actively avoided that. Even in his human form he had enhanced attributes that would still classify him as superhuman, and he very rarely needed the extra boost his transformed state would grant so it became a little redundant.

He also had regenerative healing that could be compared to a vampire's, although he was a tad younger than even Alisha at three-hundred and twenty years old. In short, he would get his ass kicked if he tried to fight Alisha head on, even with transformation. Taking on a person as strong and experienced as her head on was the quickest way to get your ass handed to you on a plate.

Gabriel had sparred with her more than once and soon learned that the only way to get the best of her one-on-one was to catch her unawares and vulnerable. To anyone who wanted to try to catch her unawares, all he had to say was, "Good luck with that!". With her enhanced hearing she could hear a pin drop from 2 km away (1.24 miles), and that was even before she even counted on her other senses.

As for Jon's main methods of attack in YGGDRASIL, he chose ranger, assassin, and ninja classes to better take advantage of the speed a werewolf can develop in-game. Plus, it mimicked his real life fighting style, thus making combat and movement near second nature.

As for Gabriel, he trained as a fighter his whole life in the martial arts which included hand-to-hand fighting styles, as well as blades and swords. Though he was proficient with a great many weapons and styles, he settled on a two-handed sword style that complimented his real world training in the use of the Japanese katana.

He could switch between hand-to-hand, one-handed and two-handed bladed combat with ease which made him fairly versatile and unpredictable in a fight, and it was simply second nature to him. Like the other two he chose to play a race that reflected his real life one, so he chose the human race for his YGGDRASIL avatar. However, something different happened with him when he locked in his character.

He somehow fulfilled the special hidden requirements right out the gate to be granted the ultra-rare, and then unknown class of human called, the [Methuselah]. Gabriel was needless to say shocked with that kind of development. All he did was login and spawn in the beginner area. Shortly thereafter he learned that the YGGDRASIL lore stated that only one [Methuselah] would appear every ten millennia, and that they had a "typical" lifespan of about two-thousand years due to them having a strong life-force.

Alisha took that as hyperbole on the developer's part as their way of saying that once enough human players had populated YGGDRASIL, the next new player that logged in as a human would, in essence win a random freaking lotto ticket. Alisha's theory was backed up by how the devs gave little to no information on hidden classes and how to get them, and the fact that the whole game was geared toward making life hell for nonhuman players with no penalties for PKing them.

Still, it was a win for Gabriel to be sure as the [Methuselah] class human had a great _many_ advantages over regular human avatars. For starters, his class could gain up to ten racial levels which granted bonuses for HP, MP, strength, agility, speed, defenses, and even limited health regeneration, just to name a few.

Most tellingly of all, he could PK other human players with little to no penalty, but only under certain circumstances. Those situations included defending himself from attack, defending members of his party that was under attack, or defending weaker leveled players from being PKed.

Again, their only clues as to why was within the character lore that was provided. It stated that the [Methuselah] class human was supposed to represent the best traits of humanity and thus was to be a guide and example for other humans to follow. Again, it was time for Gabriel to break out his hyperbole translator, and to him it simply meant that it was a way to keep other players from bitching and moaning about how much of a "cheat" that class was by balancing it out with its own unique sets of pros and cons.

Cheat or not, it came in handy during their first sojourn in YGGDRASIL as Gabriel's little band was accosted by higher leveled players on their very first day. It would have been a total party kill if not for the fact that all three of them had real world training and even more so, they had literally century's worth of combat experience, as well as superior reflexes, teamwork, and tactical and strategic prowess.

To them, their higher level meant nothing, because it was like fighting a bunch of strong noobs. Once they set up a clan base, Gabriel hit on the idea for them to recruit more members from their pool of mutual friends who, like them, would have actual combat training and experience.

The advantages were clearly evident when they faced stronger level players on their very first day of traveling. Once they agreed on that point they began recruiting from their pool of friends and associates. Some jumped at the chance, others needed poking and prodding, and others simply turned them down.

Still, at the end of the day they ended up with a clan of about twenty-two members, and the results would speak for themselves as they absolutely demolished the competition in area clearing, dungeon crawling, and PVP.

Gabriel was lost in thought as he was reminiscing on how it all started in YGGDRASIL. He didn't even notice he was finished eating his meal and just found himself staring off into space. As he came to, he realized that Alisha was doing much of the same, but was going about it quite differently.

The bloodwine she had been drinking was swirling around in the air front of her while she was motioning a circle with her right index finger, looking quite amused with herself. Gabriel chuckled at the sight seemingly unfazed and was even amused himself at the scene taking place. He was sensing that Alisha too was in a good mood and decided to poke her a little.

"You like showing off or just making me feel envious?" He said as he gives her a smirk.

"Hmm?~ Maybe I like to do both."

"Heh. That's what she said."

He cracks his bad joke whilst keeping his smirk on. Not missing a beat Alisha then immediately uses her thumb and middle finger to flick a small glob of floating bloodwine at his left eye. Seeming to hit the mark, Gabriel reels back cupping his eye with his left hand.

"Ah! Not in the eye!"

"Hmph. That's what she said.~"

Alisha directs the rest of the floating bloodwine down her throat with simple gesture from her right hand and it disappears as she swallows with a single gulp. She looks at Gabriel with a wry smile seeing him cradling his eye, but not seeing or feeling a hint of pain from him.

"How long are you going to keep up the charade?"

Gabriel shoots her a wry smile of his own as he wipes off the red liquid from his eyelid with a nearby napkin.

"You almost had me there angel."

She stands up, walks over to him, and sits in his lap with elegance and grace as she wraps her arms around his neck and shoulders. He returns her embrace with his own around her waist. Alisha licks a portion of the left side of his neck and then quietly purrs into his ear.

"I think I have you now.~"

"Uh huh. Then what's stopping you?"

She doesn't reply as she slowly sinks her lips and then fangs into his flesh, and he lets out a very audible moan. Alisha slowly and gently starts to drink from his neck letting out a few pleasured moans of her own. After a few minutes she slowly releases her mouth's connection to his neck and then strokes the small punctures in his neck with her tongue. Lifting her head up their eyes meet and they share a deep kiss, with Gabriel not really caring her lips and mouth was still covered with some of his blood.

After a moment their embrace relaxes and Alisha pricks the index finger on her right hand with one of her fangs and uses it to spread some of her blood on the area she fed from on Gabriel's neck. Closing her eyes as if to concentrate, the area heals within seconds and any bruising and fang marks disappear as if it were an illusion. Gabriel then smiles at this and looks at her.

"I have to admit that 'Blood Magic' of yours comes in handy." He says as his facial expression turns soft and genuine, his awe of the ability showing quite clearly.

Alisha smiles back at him, kisses his forehead, gets up and takes his dishes back to the kitchen, and as she does she replies to his comment.

"Oh, Gabe. I know you look great in green, but green with envy doesn't suit you.~" He could only chuckle at the comment since he knew the nature of the ability.

Most people believed magic, like vampires, werewolves and the like were nothing more than myths and legends, but then again most people were ignorant fools. Although magic as a whole was in danger of disappearing from the face of the Earth along with its buried history, vampires like Alisha kept its memory and use alive, or on life support as it were. The type she practiced was one that originated with vampires, which could be called "Life Magic", but a more popular name for it, however inaccurate was "Blood Magic", due to the nature of its use and the culture from which it came from. As living vampires drain and take in the lives of those they feed on, they add that life energy to their own, and because of this they believed blood was both a medium and a currency for life. That belief led to the development of this particular magic.

They could use the vast pools of life energy they could build and accumulate within themselves to be used for a wide array of applications from healing others like Alisha just did, boost and/or enhance physical abilities like strength and speed, using it to manipulate minds, extract information, share information, and/or cause harm on both physical and mental states.

It's use was only limited by how much life force that a user could sacrifice at once. It was both powerful, and supremely dangerous if used incorrectly, and thus strict rules and codes of conduct were established governing its use.

One of those rules dictated who would be granted the ability. Its use was once something all vampires could manage with time and training but that was thousands of years ago and thus needed to be granted to another by a practitioner willingly. Also, beyond extenuating circumstances only one vampire could be granted those abilities from one practitioner. Just thinking about the events that required such rules to be enacted in the first place sickened and angered Gabriel to no end.

Although Alisha hadn't chosen a student to bequeath these abilities to, the reason she couldn't grant those abilities to Gabriel was twofold. First, was the fact that as a simple human, he couldn't use Blood Magic without killing himself due to his limited lifespan, and he had no real way to replenish lost life energy. Even simple spells could take years off his life. Second, his link to Alisha's life would prevent her from granting those abilities, although she did give him all her knowledge on the subject.

Of course, if anyone from her people found out she had done that, both of them would be marked for a swift execution. Even the simple knowledge of its use could be very dangerous if it fell into the wrong hands. Still, despite knowing all of that Gabriel wasn't bitter about it and he just considered himself blessed to spend his days and nights with the wonderful woman whom he was now embracing from behind, as she washed the dishes like a dutiful wife. As she was doing that Gabriel had a thought.

"Hey, angel. Do you have anything going on tonight?"

"Hmm? No, not really. My evening is more or less free."

"That's good. I was thinking that since we're both free we could hook up to YGGDRASIL's servers and just chill at our favorite spot in the base."

"Hmm?~ I guess that wouldn't be a bad idea. Most of the other guild members will most likely be too busy to do anything anyways."

"Then it's a date."

Gabriel kisses her on the right side of her neck and slowly glides his groin area across her backside. She closes her eyes and lightly bites her lower lip from all the teasing.

"I was thinking around 10PM or so to get all hooked up. What'cha think?"

Without answering Alisha finishes washing the last dish, turns around, and wraps her arms around Gabriel's head and deeply kisses him. After about five minutes of intense and passionate kissing they part their lips and Alisha gives her reply.

"I think it's most definitely sounds like a date.~"

"Great! Then I'll get everything set up for tonight angel."

Just as he was about to leave, Alisha picks him up and throws him against a nearby wall, and pins him there with all her great strength. This doesn't faze him and he just cocks an eyebrow, smirks at her and thinks to himself.

 _'I was wondering how long she'd be able to hold herself back. Seriously, I think I have more self-control than she does. I could feel her heat hitting me in waves, fer cryin' out loud!'_ She kneels down and starts to slowly undo his pants before she looks up at him with a devilish grin.

"Before you go anywhere or do anything I think I'm going to need just a little more nourishment from you.~"

He continues to smirk at her as he thinks to himself.

 _'Yeah, I figured as much. Especially since it's the only other thing of mine that she can consume that her body can process. Always thought that was odd but she seems to like it. Maybe it's because of all the orange juice I drink.'_

"Heh. Fine then. You won't hear me argue. Just mind the teeth!"

"Hmm~? No promises.~" She gives him a wink as she exposes his now stiff manhood.

He rolls his eyes at the comment.

"Oh! One more thing..."

His attention goes back to her as she speaks and as she tightly grabs and strokes his member, now with a happy and a cheerful expression on her face.

"This time we're going for ten!~"

He gives her a blank deadpan expression as he thinks to himself.

 _'Well...shit.'_


	2. Chapter 2-End of the Beginning

**Chapter 2-End of the Beginning**

 **Same evening. Time-9:35 PM**

 _*sighs* 'Never should have opened my big mouth. Challenge accepted? Heh. She called me on that shit. I exceeded her expectations, which thrilled her to no end, but wow! I was so beat I needed about four hours of rest after that.'_

Gabriel was thinking to himself as he was setting up the VR consoles, chairs, and equipment in a rather spacious living room. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and shorts while he was doing this.

 _'Not that I'm really complaining. She's always quite outstanding. Still, being milked like some prized cow can be a bit draining. At least I got a fantastic meal when I came to. For someone who can't eat the same foods as me her cooking is heavenly.~'_

When he woke up from his nap he found some homemade spaghetti and a pitcher of orange juice waiting on him with a note from Alisha. She had nothing but praise for his "performance" and said she had to go out to run a few errands before their evening in YGGDRASIL together. She also made him his favorite dish while he was asleep as a way to thank him and to make it up to him for being so forceful and demanding. He chuckled as he remembered that part.

 _'Oh, angel. I may sarcastically complain but you never have to make up for anything. As I told you so long ago, I am yours.'_

He put his right hand on his chest and concentrated to send these emotions directly to Alisha through their bond.

They were received on her end and he felt her reply in the way of equally intense feelings that were warm, light, and euphoric. They couldn't share thoughts or memories unless she was feeding on him or he was drinking a portion of her blood as a willing offering. However, the empathic connection they had could allow them to send and share feelings and emotions whether consciously or unconsciously. Doubtful anyone could comprehend just how close Gabriel and Alisha truly are.

The time was now 9:45PM and by then Alisha walked in the front door. Her skin complexion was a milky, white Caucasian, her ears were normal and her eyes a bright grey color. She stood still for a moment with her eyes closed and after a few breaths her skin color, eyes, and ears had returned to normal, and almost immediately she started to take her clothes off and flung them in random directions. By the time she reached Gabriel's arms she was completely naked. After finishing a rather loud and passionate kiss they smiled and he spoke.

"Welcome back angel."

He caressed her left cheek with his hand while she kissed it.

"It's good to be home my love."

He noticed she sounded both tired and relieved.

"Wild guess here. You had to deal with some surprise business with the 'Hierarchy'."

She sighed and then buried her head in his chest as he held her close.

"Yes and it was mind numbingly tedious." *sighs tiredly*

"Last time I checked dealing with bureaucrats will _always_ suck."

She lets out a tired laugh at this obvious fact.

"Amen to that lover. Amen to that."

She buries her face into his chest and takes in deep breaths to take in his scent. He feels her relax considerably after doing this and as she loosens her grip she looks at him with a contented smile.

"I'm sure you'd love me to stay like this but I'm going to slip into something a little more comfortable so we can enjoy our evening.~"

Gabriel gently cups her chin with his right hand, and as he kisses her he also takes a long and deep breath in to savor her scent.

"I'll make sure everything is good to go while you get ready."

Alisha doesn't say a word. Instead she smiles and slowly walks away giving Gabriel a good show while she does.

 _'Thanks for the view.~'_

He chuckles to himself knowing she did that on purpose.

He walks over to the consoles and turns each of them on in one smooth motion. Without even a pause he then goes to a panel at a nearby wall and after punching in a twelve digit code it blinks blue.

The panel was for the penthouse's security system. It was beyond top of the line using tech not commercially available, even to most world governments. Breaking in should be nigh impossible without the use of explosives. As Gabriel starts to put the finishing touches on their VR setup his thoughts go back to their earlier exchange.

 _'Alisha seemed a bit tense. I know she has to deal with the Hierarchy on a regular basis since she is an elder vampire, but my patience for them is wearing a bit thin.'_

The Hierarchy is the governing body of vampire society with a large number of secret branches all over the globe. They set down laws, procedures, and enforce them when need be. They employ agents of nearly all walks of life which included humans and also ensures that the secret of their existence stays exactly that. Any threats will be stamped out with ruthless efficiency.

Alisha had a disdain for the whole system and its politics and bureaucracy. Although she was technically not part of the system itself, as a descendant of an old family there were still obligations she needed to fulfill and not even her many connections could get her out of them.

Plus, she was at an age that was considered "elder" class, which was a high social standing that only added to the nonsense she had to deal with. Elders had high levels of strength, power, wisdom, and knowledge and were expected to be the future guides and rulers for their people. Alisha held little interest in dealing with those headaches, and resolved to keep as much distance as possible from it, but Gabriel knew that it wasn't that easy.

He was aware that her bond with him wasn't universally approved or even liked by the majority her brethren. She cut through no end of objections and disapprovals just to be with him. The establishment preferred that she bond with the head of another house to help strengthen ties and some such archaic nonsense.

There was also the fact she had been constantly refusing any kind of student, or as they like to call them, "Inheritors", to pass on her knowledge and powers of blood magic. Although it wouldn't weaken her own abilities by a really large margin, she had rejected every name they had put forward.

She saw right through their attempts and realized that the names put forward were all political maneuvers to increase the power and standing of either those in charge or those who had some connection to them. Since her abilities were so tightly guarded and controlled _anyone_ bestowed with those powers would see an immediate rise in social standing and authority. The percentage of vampires with those abilities really was that low. Although Alisha was not an active member of the Hierarchy, her voice still carried weight which was much to their chagrin.

She plowed through their voices of displeasure to again and again emphasize the importance of choosing an Inheritor that was suitable because of their merit and abilities, and not to forward a political agenda. By ancient rights the choice to accept or refuse the names forwarded was hers and in theory that was the way it was supposed to work. However, in practice most vampires cooperated with the system by selecting a name listed and made the most of it. Alisha was the rare exception that didn't care about political gains and honored her rights of choice.

Gabriel knew about all of this and decided not to press the subject further. What made it worse was the fact that as her bondmate, technically he also had a potential position of power in the Hierarchy, and that left a _really_ bitter aftertaste in their mouths. A mere human in a position of power in the Hierarchy was not a thought they took lightly. The only reason it hadn't become a major issue was the fact that neither of them held any real interest in dealing with those things. They kept their distance and had not tried to exercise authority of any kind.

Despite all this it still caused them to hound her every once and a while and from what he figured out the discussions were like verbal water wheels that would go round and round until they ended up right back from where they began. They'd adjourn the meeting and start the process all over again, but at a later date.

As much strength as Gabriel drew from her, he knew that the same was true for her as well, and the fact was she naturally had a kind and gentle personality despite how they played around with each other was all the proof he needed. He was well aware however that even her patience had limits too, and God help anyone that successfully tested that.

Gabriel brushed these thoughts aside as he finished warming up the VR stations in their living room.

 _'Alright! Just have to wait for Alisha to get here and...'_

His thoughts trailed off as he saw her silently walk towards him. The first thing he saw was her smooth, bare feet and as his sight worked up he was without words. She was wearing a beautiful pure white, silk nightgown that seemed to outline the curves of her body perfectly. Alisha's footsteps were completely silent as she walked with elegance and grace towards him in the living room.

Watching her walk across the clean and smooth floor always made him think that she didn't so much as "walk" across the floor as "glided" or "flowed" over the surface like water. Watching her steps was akin to watching incredibly hypnotic ballet and he couldn't help but gawk every time. She smiled warmly at his reaction as they embraced and passionately kissed each other as they always seemed to, and about ten minutes later they walked hand in hand towards their respective VR stations that sat right next to each other.

"Ready to enjoy a relaxing evening in our YGGDRASIL guild-base handsome?~"

"Was that ever in doubt angel?"

She smirks at him as she lowers her other hand down his shorts and starts gliding her tongue across her lips in a very lewd and alluring manner.

"It just seems your 'dragon' has other plans for the evening.~"

Gabriel smirks back.

"He can wait, and so can I.~" He says as he winks at her.

They both walk towards their VR setups as Gabriel looks over and notices her expression was equal parts impressed and disappointed. He would also feel it too if he wasn't so preoccupied being pleased with himself for making her have that expression.

 _'Heh. Score one for discipline.'_

As he was giving himself a mental high-five they both were situating themselves in their respective recliners and they put on the modified VR helmets they both used. Unlike the commercial ones used by nearly all YGGDRASIL players, theirs had several additions, such as the internal cameras that allowed them to stream video of their actual faces to each other as long as they were within the confines of the guild-base.

Since VR avatars couldn't have moving facial expressions, and emojis tended to be quite limited, it was a mod that they had implemented after some trial and error. Only catch was the whole head and face was covered instead of just half.

They plugged in and in front of their eyes they saw display screens and with their hands they manipulated the many menus floating in their vision. A display popped up that gave a blinking reading of "100%" on their nano-machine count, which elicited a laugh from both of them. Gabriel decided to comment on that.

"Angel, I gotta tell ya', I get a kick out of seeing that reading every time."

"I have to agree my Gabriel.~ Makes things more convenient."

The reason for their somewhat odd reaction was the fact that due to the blood magic coursing through their veins, their nano-machine count never depleted. Somehow, the blood magic had merged with the nano-machines in their bodies over their prolonged use and inside of a few years Alisha found that the magically enhanced nano-machines never faded. Because of the bond it affected not only Alisha but Gabriel as well since the bond gave Gabriel his enhanced gifts. Of course they kept this to themselves as that would open doors for more problems they really didn't need or want.

With Gabriel sitting to the right and Alisha on the left, they joined their hands together as they always did when using the full dive equipment. With a flick of the wrist their vision had changed from a view of their apartment to one of white light, and after a few seconds a new scene came into their vision as they both gazed upon a bright and shining hall with a long rectangular table.

The table itself looked very large, imposing, and was beautifully designed. It looked like the base material was made of smoothed out marble lined with gold and platinum, and in the center was a circular crest made of flat sapphire with a silver, flying dragon symbol in the middle. It had ten seats on either side with two at the head where both Gabriel and Alisha were now seated having successfully logged in.

The hall itself was beyond beautiful with walls of marble and pillars of smooth blue crystal supporting a ceiling almost twenty-five feet high (7.62 meters) that had light fixtures made of crystals that cast [Continual Light] magic upon the whole chamber.

They both looked at the time reading in the upper right hand corner of their vision that used the 24-hour clock to tell time. The reading was 22:05 hours or 10:05PM to those who weren't used to it. The names at the top left hand corner read "Gabriel Erin Dracon" and "Alisha Agathe Bludfallen" for each of them. When they first founded the clan and then guild one of the first things they did was make it a spoken rule that the membership choose avatar names that actually sounded like names instead of bad or ridiculous puns, jokes, and/or nicknames.

One of the biggest offenders in Gabriel's mind was his friend, "Touch-Me", from the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown. He loved that guy like a brother, but he had to poke fun at him for that ridiculous name. His guild-mate Ulbert seemed to get a kick out of the jabs, while their mutual friend Momonga would get somewhat annoyed.

Even in a game Gabriel and his guild-mates wanted some measure of professionalism and thankfully the vast majority of the membership agreed. In Gabriel's and Alisha's cases, they kept their given names and changed the rest. They looked at each other, both flashing a smile emoji next to their avatar's heads as Gabriel spoke up.

"Seems like we ran a little late there."

"Oh?~ Barely five minutes. Hardly enough time to get worked up over love."

"Ha! If the military guild members were here they'd disagree! I can already hear our elven paladin Mercer Van Hyrrold going ape shit. 'Being on time means you're ten minutes late, and you guys are WAY late!' Like that." He says making hand gestures.

Alisha chuckles at the _very_ accurate impression of their guild-mate.

"I always found his stern and stoic attitude to be a bit cute.~"

"You would. It got on my nerves. At least the guy made up for it by being one of the more dependable front liners."

Alisha chuckles at his complaint cum compliment.

"And I think you're just adorable for pretending you don't have similar habits. You have studied your 'Art of War' and military history, and have even worked as a 'merc' of sorts." She flashes a "wink" emoji.

"Oh, hush you. Shall we get rolling?" He says as they both stand up.

"After you my lord." She says with a chuckle, clearly poking fun at him with overt role-playing.

He became the "Guild-Leader" by an almost unanimous majority vote. The fact he didn't even vote for himself impressed all present that day. Regardless of the hard cases that filled the membership, everyone had nothing but respect for him. He lead from the front, practiced what he preached, cared about the real life well being of all the members, readily listened to advice and ideas for their quests and battles, and had the smarts and leadership skills to impress even the more jaded current and former military background members.

He'd even use himself as a shield to take fatal blows giving his comrades an opening to finish the opposition. As a result, no one questioned his instructions or intents and the guild operated like a real, well oiled, and tight-knit military special forces unit. These were the things that made Gabriel's fake complaining so amusing to Alisha.

They walk around what was obviously a meeting table for the guild and as they walk past a crystal pillar their reflections can be seen. Both of their avatars looked almost exactly like their real faces and bodies right down to the shapes and body weight.

When they first started, it was Alisha's idea to use a special program, combined with the mod hardware to scan their images, skin tones, dimensions, and even the very structure of their bones and internal organs into the YGGDRASIL character creator to achieve near perfect duplicates of their actual bodies. Since the method used wasn't technically a violation of any rules the "shitty devs" of YGGDRASIL allowed it. As they walked towards the end of the hall their gear shined and sparkled in the light.

Alisha's gear was a light armor set that covered her from neck to toe in black and red metallic fiber that had a bright sheen in the light. There was a lower half that made it look like a body hugging trench coat had been built into it. The body contoured light armor set also had silver plated sections covering the forearms, back shoulder plates, shoulders proper, the upper and outer parts of her arms, elbows, knees and lower legs as well as the "vital" areas of her chest, abdomen, and a thin silver plate contoured to her crotch area.

It was made to intentionally make male, and sometimes even female players look directly at it. A cheap trick to be sure, but sometimes a brief moment's distraction can often times mean instant defeat in PVP. It worked like a charm in a duel she had with a member of Ainz Ooal Gown named Peroroncino, when she leaped at him and he just stood there goggled-eyed staring at it. It cost him a victory that day while his guild-mates, which included his sister Bukubukuchagama, laughed at him.

As such her body hugging divine class gear was meant for exactly that purpose, as well as for bonuses in speed, agility, and "protection". At Gabriel's insistence she gave it the name [Sanguis-Angelus Armis], since it had a passive to not only protect her against divine spells but also boost hers as well.

Her weapon of choice was a divine class extendable and retractable, one-handed snake/whip sword she called [Divina-Anguis of Nagi] was latched on her right shoulder blade as she removed it and placed it in her inventory. In its retracted form it was the approximate size of a short sword that was, from blade tip to pommel, 30 inches (76.2cm).

Hits from the weapon would inflict slashing damage with bleeding penalties with extra holy and lightning damage stacked on top. Her fighting style employed a blend of different worldwide martial arts styles with graceful dancing motions as the sword itself would whip and twirl around her like beautiful, albeit deadly ballet, while with the non-weapon hand she would cast spells to throw off an attacker's balance.

No gloves were worn showing off her elegant, slender, and toned fingers that had ten slender rings that looked more like different colored wedding bands as all but one was divine class. That one being a [Guild Ring] that allowed instantaneous movement within the guild-base. She also wore a small, red and silver choker that had a small round sapphire in the middle, and a pair of diamond earrings, all of which were divine class items that boosted various stats that made her a fast, agile, and deadly powerhouse on the fields of YGGDRASIL.

Combined with her versatile blend of combat skills, divine and support magicks, and she could potentially handle even the strongest of challenges. She did not even hesitate to use special cash shop items to boost her primary, secondary, and tertiary stats as far as the game would allow. Even a glance at her job skills and stats would make most players think twice about fighting her.

Alisha Agathe Bludfallen

Karma: Positive 500

Total Level: 100

Racial Level: Vampire (15), Unknown (5)

Job Levels:

Fighter (10)

Cleric (10)

Valkyrie (05)

Blood Drinker (?)

War Wizard (10)

Armored Mage (10)

Cursed Knight (05)

Etc. (30)

Estimated Stats:

HP: Exceeds Limit

MP: 75

Phys. Attack: 89

Phys. Defense: 80

Agility: 82

Mag. Attack: 87

Mag. Defense: 72

Resistance: 88

Special Ability: 88

Total: 775

Next up was Gabriel who wore a shining emerald green, full-plate armor with a helmet that was open in the front. The helmet itself was in the shape of a dragon's head, with Gabriel's face completing the image, while his golden blonde mane of hair jutted out the lower back of the helmet.

His armor was called the [Armor of the Emerald Dragon], and although the name might have sounded too on the nose it wasn't his choice as the armor as well as the guild-weapon were gifts awarded to them for conquering the guild-base in one attempt and for accomplishing various hidden secondary tasks in the base.

According to the lore on the armor set, it was created from the remains of the ancient 'Dragon of the Emerald Flame' and that the armor would bestow his powers onto the wearer. The armor was insane in both power and defensive capabilities as it outclassed even divine class armors of the same type. The only armors that could compare were the ones worn by the [World Champion] class.

Of course, Gabriel wasn't stupid enough to broadcast this information all over YGGDRASIL. Information was power, and less info that others had on him and his crew the better. Another ability the armor gave was the [Gift of the Emerald Flame] which imbued his attacks with an emerald flame that was as if not more effective than hellfire. It also granted him complete fire immunity like that of certain types of dragons, which included resistance against hellfire.

The clawed gauntlets had rings on each finger that shined brilliantly in the hall. Like Alisha, he used cash shop items to allow the use of ten rings instead of the usual two to four. Unlike Alisha however, only seven of those ten were divine class. One was a [Guild Ring] like hers, the second was a [Ring of Sustenance] to cancel out the thirst and hunger penalties some races possessed, and the last was the [Ring of Message] that allowed non-magic casters to use the message spell.

Gabriel made it a rule within the guild that if one couldn't use the message spell then they had to have that ring on to ensure contact. Maintaining swift and more reliable communication was the basic of the basic in war, combat, and in life in general so no one questioned it.

One of the more paranoid guild-mates suggested however that they establish an I.D. code system, since it was unknown if there was a way to fake messages to cause misinformation. It was agreed and these "I.D. codes" would change on a weekly basis unless it was needed to introduce more regular updates. That need never came, but it was better to err on the side of caution regardless.

Next was a white cloak that draped over one shoulder and flowed like a holy cape in nonexistent wind. It was the [Cape of Wind] that allowed limited flight and gliding. Finally, strapped onto his back was his primary weapon, the divine class sword that got him though many a tough battle was [Krysseatheum]. It was a silver colored two-handed weapon that had the blade design of a katana but was the size of a broadsword with a length from blade tip to its sharp, pointed pommel measuring 60 inches (152.4cm). It didn't have a typical guard, but a dragon's head where the blade had extended out vertically from the mouth.

After discovering it in a dungeon in Asgard he found it indispensable in his build. Despite being a two-handed weapon, it could be used with one hand to surprise foes as he could switch between different fighting styles and maintain his versatility.

It's slicing and stabbing damage was, in the sage words of his werewolf friend and guild-mate Jon Tolbain Burton, "beyond the realms of retarded", which had been made even more effective by the addition of the [Gift of the Emerald Flame] damage done by the powers of the armor.

Simply put, he was a fast, strong, and agile tank that will destroy any target he's pointed at. If his love Alisha was a beast, then Gabriel was an absolute monster, and attacking him without at least a dozen level-100s to start was tantamount to suicide.

Gabriel Erin Dracon

Karma: Positive 350

Total Level: 100

Racial Level: Human-Methuselah (10)

Job Levels:

Sword Saint (10)

Warrior (10)

Knight (10)

Fighter (10)

Martial Lord (10)

Striker (05)

Monk (05)

Sergeant (05)

Commander (05)

General (05)

Etc. (15)

Estimated Stats:

HP: Exceeds Limit

MP: 30

Phys. Attack: 99

Phys. Defense: 98

Agility: 75

Mag. Attack: 65

Mag. Defense: 90

Resistance: 90

Special Ability: 100

Total: 815

As they near the massive blue and platinum colored double doors to exit Gabriel stops and looks at his hand as his holds a green flame in his gauntlet. He just stares at it for a moment before extinguishing it in a closed fist, and he'd somehow summoned and extinguished the flame all without the aid of a console. Alisha looks back in concern and speaks to him.

"Something bothering you Gabe?~"

"Hm? Nah. Not really. Was just admiring how we can use our avatar's abilities like that without the console. Don't get to use them that often."

"Oh? That is true.~"

Another benefit of the blood magic enhanced nano-machines was being able to use their avatar's abilities with just thought and concentration instead of using the console only. Of course, they kept this to themselves, and rarely used this advantage outside of guild events. The reasons why were obvious, so no one felt the need to discuss it, but that wasn't the only reason for Gabriel's brief and odd behavior.

What really bothered him was the fact that the flames his fully equipped avatar created were almost exactly like those of his dreams. A person would have to be blind or stupid not to notice the similarity and it made him uneasy. He was certain there was some kind of connection there but he knew he was missing a piece of the puzzle. Not wanting to spoil their together time he brushed those thoughts aside and calmly walked to the exit with Alisha.

Next to each door were two NPCs, one male and the other female. The male NPC wore what looked like a long-sleeve, white button-up shirt with a tie and vest, with black gloves, sliver glasses, blue color eyes, and black slicked back hair. He stood up ramrod straight as he projected the image of the perfect English butler. The NPC's name was Walter Bernard Montgomery of the human race and was designed as the Commander of the Guardians by Alisha herself. He had an athletic and toned build and was a ruggedly handsome man in his mid-forties.

His facial expression was designed to communicate focus and discipline, as well as a gentlemanly aura. His character build was made as a level-100 monk with ki-master classes and possessed some extremely powerful offensive capabilities, and when fully equipped was a relentless powerhouse. He truly epitomized the old saying, "the best defense was a good offense."

The female NPC, also created by Alisha, wore a black and silver, body contoured light armor set very similar to Alisha's, but instead of the built in trench coat looking design, the NPC's had silver color scaled coattails like that of a musical conductor. Grasped in both of her hands held in front was a silver and gold staff with arrow like pointed ends with a sapphire at the base of one end, and a ruby at the other.

Her name was Tamura Oakenfold and was of a mixed bloodline of human, elven, and demonic background written into her lore. Tamura was created to be the second in command of the guardians and she, along with Walter and two others, had the highest intelligence stats of all the other NPCs.

She had slightly pointed ears, though smaller in size due to her mixed heritage and had long raven black hair that reached down to the middle of her back. The hair had a healthy sheen but was unkempt and looked like the hair had a spiked style giving it beautiful yet wild feel.

Her eyes were a yellow sapphire color that shined like jewels in the light and gave off a warm and friendly vibe. She was a beauty that could be a friendly cutie one moment, and an alluring temptress the next with a perfectly proportioned body that could stir the thirst of man and woman alike. Her abilities were that of a level-100 arcane magic caster and were well rounded to use for support, offense, and defense.

They both had been equipped with guild rings to ensure that they could be deployed to any location inside the base when needed, and when deployed together they were nearly unstoppable.

"Hello you two.~ Thanks for keeping watch.~" Alisha spoke warmly to them as if they were really alive and not just constructs of data and pixels.

Gabriel had always thought it was odd but he had equated it how a young girl would play with dolls. Alisha was always the playful sort, whether in bed or at recreation. As he was lost in thought over the matter Alisha turned around to face him.

"Don't be so rude now, Gabe." She flashes a pouting emoji.

"Huh? Oh! Right. Good work you two."

She had a habit of involving him into her little role-play routine and although he thought it weird at times he played along. She even got the other guild-members to do the same thing somehow with the other NPCs here. Perhaps it was just another way to briefly forget one's troubles outside in the real world, and the role-play of YGGDRASIL made that attractive. He could appreciate the need for the occasional distraction.

He motioned for the doors to open and began to walk through. He turned around and saw Alisha had a console open in front of each of them and had been checking and modding their settings. As his real face smiled a smile emoji flashed next to his avatar.

 _'She always did love_ _ _YGGDRASIL_. The adventuring, crafting, creating, and the modding was like watching another side of her I rarely got to see. Thank you, shitty devs of __YGGDRASIL, for allowing me to see this side of her.'_ He mused as he had remembered how enthusiastic she always was, and he was thankful to have been along for the ride.

"Hey angel. I'll use the ring to go to observation deck while you're modding their settings. Meet you there?" He says as he looks at the time and sees a reading of 22:33.

"Of course love. I'll be right there.~"

"Don't be long.~" He flashes a wink emoji as he disappears in a flash of blue light that showed the use of his ring.

She continued to modify the settings of her NPCs with one hand on each of their respective consoles. After about five minutes of doing this she waved the consoles out of view. She then proceeded to stroke the cheeks of each of the NPCs with each of her hands like a mother would her children.

"Take care." She had said warmly to them as she then disappears in a flash of blue light.

* * *

Back in their apartment, all was quiet and still as the lights had automatically faded to low levels during the thirty odd minutes of their full dive session. Alisha's clothes from earlier were still strewn about the floor in a haphazard way, and their consoles had occasionally beeped. Then for a brief moment the console to the security system had blinked red, and then was it's normal bright blue. A nearby phone rings in the darkness for about a half dozen times. A computerized female voice speaks.

 _"You have one new voice mail!"_

After a beeping sound signals this, the text of the message can be read on a small monitor.

 _'Oi! Alisha! It's me Jon. I kno' it's yer gamin' night and I have been tryin' ta reach ya' on that server's message system but somethin's wrong. It's like there's somethin' blocking me and my messages ain't getting through. I don't like the smell of this, and no I'm not making a pun! I'll be there in an hour or two. 'Hope I'm just bein' paranoid.'_

* * *

 **Time- 22:38**

Alisha reappears in a circular dome-like room made of a transparent crystalline material that looked like a lounge with an assortment of sofas and small round tables. There were no doors or any other obvious means of entry, meaning the only way in was through use of a guild ring. She saw her lover Gabriel just staring out the nearby crystal-clear walls looking over the star filled horizon. She walked over and in front of him so he could embrace her from behind, one of her favorite "positions".

She often debated using her contacts to influence YGGDRASIL developers to allow married couples in the game to do lewd things to each other in the privacy of their guild-bases, but that always seemed unnecessary when the real thing was always ready and waiting for her back in reality. In the end she settled for simple hugs and embraces, which teased her to no end, and made her even more excited for bedtime.

As they both stared out into the horizon Gabriel spoke.

"Although it's not real, I never get tired of this view. Makes me glad Jon found this place."

"I know. I'm glad you paid for the extra space for the observation deck. The view is so romantic at times.~"

The scene before them was a dome in the middle of a shining blue metallic and crystal castle complex at the top of a five kilometer high mountain in a region in the realm of Midgard.

Their guild-base, "Dracon's Keep" was discovered about two and a half years into their time playing the game, almost completely by accident. A party of about five led by the werewolf Jon from the then clan of twenty-two members had discovered a mountain pass that wasn't there before when they had traveled through. A flight of stairs led up the side of the five kilometer high mountain and revealed a castle complex.

Since the only significant difference between now and their previous recon was the light of a full moon, they deduced the pass opened only during that time, thus giving players a chance to explore and access the area. What they had discovered was a level-80 plus dungeon area that could be conquered and made into a guild-base. When the clan representatives Gabriel and Alisha heard about it they had theorized that due to the remote region and the very specific conditions needed to open the path, it was probably dumb luck that allowed Jon's team to find it in the first place.

With a limited window of opportunity, and the fact that all clan members were actually available, the decision was made to immediately set out and take that area. It was the first major test for them as they had no prep time, information, time for recon, or time to discuss the issue. Everyone agreed that if they waited, there was no guarantee it could be reached again with the same method. The "shitty devs" of YGGDRASIL were well known for pulling such stunts after almost three years of operation.

Since a very clear objective had been laid before them, and due to their martial backgrounds, most of the membership agreed that a very clear chain of command needed to be established to ensure success, to reduce chaos, and to maximize their fun quota.

It was then Gabriel had been voted in as the guild-leader, much to his surprise and even to his annoyance. Still, he accepted their decision, and went as far to tell them that if their efforts fail, then he'll willingly step down and let another take his place. His words impressed the whole lot of them. Everyone was at or slightly above level-90, so feeling good about their chances they set off.

Much to their surprise and their copious amounts of adulation, they had not only been successful, but had taken the fortress base in one go, and in under the secret time limit that they had suspected the shitty devs had put into place. One of the many bonuses they had received for taking it under those conditions was an increase of allotted NPC levels from 1,800 points to 2,300 points for NPC customization. They even had the option to rename the base, and so the guild-membership had unanimously decided to name it after the guild-leader who had exceeded all of their expectations.

Thus the guild-base of "Dracon's Keep" had been born. Since then they had spared no expense using cash shop items to make many additions to it, which included the extra domed observation deck which overlooked the front entrance. It also doubled as a lounge of sorts for the guild-members while they watched the occasional idiot try to invade the guild base.

In fact, once the base had been secured, a meeting was held to decide the general direction of the guild and to of course change their clan name into one that better suited a guild. Their clan name was, "Followers of the Seven", which had a double meaning for them.

After Gabriel, Alisha, and Jon had set about recruiting, they had almost immediately gotten four more members who joined in on the fun with little to no hesitation. Their small band of misfits was an odd mix of seven different races that started it all with human, elven, dwarven, angelic, vampiric, werewolven, and dragonkin avatars.

The clan name meant that the first founders were of seven different races, and all those that followed after would follow in their footsteps. Also, since Alisha was an avid lover of lore and legends, she wrote it into their clan, and then their guild, lore that the first developers of magic were of those seven races, and it become a rule that new members could only be one of those seven race types, thus the double meaning behind their clan name.

Now that they were a guild however, it was agreed that a new name must accompany their upgrade from clan to guild. Most of their YGGDRASIL activities consisted of exploring, information gathering, and most often coming to the rescue of new players who had chosen to play as non-humanoid avatars and were being PKed for that choice. They all had a disdain for the discrimination that had made the game of YGGDRASIL a little hostile towards non-humanoid players and had sought to help things by actively seeking out and stopping the PKing of those players who had been victims of this.

The "shitty devs" weren't doing anything to correct this, and the system in place had actually encouraged the behavior. In response, they had organized themselves into teams of anti-PKing players that sought to correct this flaw in the system and promote equality and fair-play so people could actually enjoy the game.

Some guilds, like the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown, respected their beliefs and approach to the game. They had even saved three players who would go on to join Ainz Ooal Gown when they had nowhere else to go. These actions made Guild-Leader Gabriel fast friends with the member Touch-Me and Guild-Master Momonga. A few other players and guilds had simply been tolerating them fearing possible retaliation. Some actually hated them because their actions were, from their point of view, borderline witch hunts at times.

Most players had been constantly looking over their shoulders wondering if they were going to have to deal with a group that had the reputation of being nearly unbeatable in PVP without the aid of [World Class Items] to defend them. Some players on YGGDRASIL forums had likened them to the "Spanish Inquisition" of ages past.

Naturally, Gabriel found the analogy to be too extreme and ridiculous, and it simply pissed off Alisha as she had actually seen such things, and found the comparison to be beyond offensive. It was one of the few times Gabriel had ever seen and felt her angry at something other than her own people's leadership. It was then that one of their members, real and YGGDRASIL name Dylan, had an epiphany.

"Ya kno', fuck it. If ther' gonna view us like that anyway, why don' we just roll with it and use it to name the guild! An' since we got a MAJOR dragon motif goin' on here, let's just combine tha two and call ourselves, 'The Dragon's Inquisition'! Wadda ya' think?"

The face-palms were near simultaneous as everyone in the meeting was flabbergasted at the suggestion.

Not only did it ask them to accept something that was so offensive to begin with, but also added in the fact that the name was just a little too on the nose for their liking. Just as his suggestion was about to be swept aside and a new suggestion put forward, Gabriel shocked and/or pissed off everyone in the meeting when he said three little words: "Let's do it!"

Exclamations of varying kinds echoed throughout the room.

"Are you fer' real?!"-Mercer Van Hyrrold, male elven paladin, lvl 90.

"Oh, here we go.~"-Victoria Mila Alanso, female angel knight, lvl 89.

"My head hurts."-Frederick Hugo Wayne, male vampire necromancer, lvl 91.

"God help us all."-Joseph Peter Andersen, male human divine magic caster, lvl 90.

"Now I feel like killin' someone! Three guesses on who it's gonna be!"-Gonzo Eli Oggren, male dwarven warrior/berserker, lvl 90.

"I need a stiff drink, and a blowjob."-Jon Tolbain Burton, male werewolf assassin/ninja, lvl 91.

"Come by my place later handsome. I can help with that.~"-Julia Rika Myrrda, female elven gunner/ranger, lvl 89.

"Hell yeah!" - Jon.

"Oh~ Gabe~ Honey~? Please explain before I disconnect and drain all your sweet blood through your manhood.~" Alisha flashed an devil grin emoji as her voice was equal parts sultry and threatening.

Everyone in the room shut up after that comment and the hall was filled with a deathly silence. Her voice alone sent chills down their actual and virtual spines. The description she made had the men, and even some of the women wince with uncomfortable mental images that were going through all their minds.

It didn't help that half the membership knew what she really was, which made the threat all the more unnerving. The only one in the room who seemed unfazed by the apparent verbal and psychological threat was Gabriel, which impressed everyone in the room, including Alisha herself. He had a firm conviction in his voice that made them stand up and take serious notice when he spoke.

"We may not like to admit it, but Dylan has a valid point. For the last few years that YGGDRASIL has been up and running, players have been PKing each other over the stupidest of reasons while few besides our group has been doing anything about it. How many players simply quit this game before they could really experience it the way we have?! Too many! Even Momonga of Ainz Ooal Gown would have left if it wasn't for the act of a single man who fought against the trash that has been ruining what could be a wonderful experience! One with friends or have a chance to find those friends, just as we have! Because they are all too quick to forget that behind these avatars of data and pixels there are real PEOPLE who are hurt by their actions, and are too blind to see it!"

His voice was filled with a seriousness and an anger they had never heard before. Gabriel's guild-mates were filled with awe as he spoke with a certainty and a passion that had touched even the most cynical of individuals in the room. Suddenly he slams his fist into the plain white meeting table that, while causing "0" damage, made a thunderous echo throughout the hall.

"If they won't change their ways then we'll MAKE them change! Whether it's through our actions or by our example, we will make them see their folly and descend upon them with the unrelenting fury of a dragon! If the shitty devs won't act, then we WILL! And if ANYONE still wants to object to the name change, then by all means, speak up now and tell ME why we shouldn't accept Dylan's proposal!"

Everyone in the hall was rendered speechless. No one, not even his love Alisha had expected such a passionate speech. And just like that the name was accepted by a near unanimous vote. Just as they were going to leave for the evening, Dylan raised his hand to speak and Gabriel responded with a friendly tone of voice.

"Yes Dylan? What is it?"

"Dude, I am soooo gay for you right now."*smiling teeth emoji*

Once again, a near simultaneous chorus of face-palms had filled the meeting hall. Mercer Van Hyrrold, who was standing next to Alisha, spoke up with fatigue in his voice.

"You ruined it. We all had a moment here and you ruined it. Ass."

Dylan's only response was full on belly laughter that filled the hall, with everyone following suit one by one until nothing but the sound of laughter could be heard.

As both Gabriel and Alisha reminisced about that time, a sudden sadness came over both of them as they had both remembered that one particular member of the guild who helped found the "original seven", who had taken point and smashed his way through most of their opposition, and who had helped pick the guild's name. Gabriel would be the one to break the silence and put both of their feelings into words.

"Its been almost two years now. I still miss that fight loving jackass."

Alisha reaches behind her to stroke Gabriel's virtual face as she responds to him.

"I know lover. I feel the same way. Though I doubt he would approve of us hanging on to the memory of his passing rather than his life." She lowers her hand to hold onto Gabriel's around her waist.

"I know that. He was a good friend for the last forty years. A man I happily called 'brother' despite how much of an ass he was. I just hate that he died with no one ever realizing what he did for them, or people even knowing who he was."

"That is the way he preferred it Gabe. Whether it was here in YGGDRASIL or back in the real world, he never sought any kind of fame or fortune. He never cared that anyone knew his name. He lived his life the way he wanted, letting his actions define him more than anything else. And he was always thankful to us for having given him that chance. In the end he died helping and protecting others, and he passed on with that big grin of his."

*sighs*"As usual, you are right. What was that saying he liked so much? 'Let old ghosts rest', was it? Heh. Knowing him, Dylan's spirit would probably come back to haunt us if he knew I made a memorial for him downstairs in the 'Hall of Remembrance'."

Alisha smiles at this.

"Somehow, I can see him doing that."

The man of which they spoke was a guild-mate and real life friend whose full name in YGGDRASIL was Dylan Alba Fortemus. In YGGDRASIL, his avatar was a half-dragon who optimized his player build for hand-to-hand combat with a particular emphasis on all out attack using his monk classes. He wore white, medium armor, and white gauntlets that seemed to radiate with white holy light every time he made an attack.

When it came to pure destructive combat power, only Gabriel and one other in the guild could match him. His avatar had a tanned skin complexion, with a long white mane, red dragon-like eyes, and a constant grin on his avatar's face with rather sharp teeth that earned him the accurate nickname of, "Smiley".

In real life, he was born a guinea big without any real parents to a cult based in France that had been operating for the last five-hundred years. Their goal was, through a process of selective breeding, to create the "perfect" human. Human beings were treated like breeding stock for that goal. If you were found to have traits to further their ends, then you were offered huge sums of money and/or other rewards to cooperate and if you refused you were forced to take part. His "mother" was forced to take part and after giving birth to him was let go with little to no memory of what had happened.

His fate was to continue the program, until a black-ops team, secretly led by none other than Gabriel and Alisha, tore down that facility and liberating all those who had been kept there. When they found Dylan, he was a five year old with the estimated I.Q. of 220. As they approached him in tactical gear that hid their faces, instead of expecting a child frightened of them, he just looked up at them, smiled and said "cool".

Gabriel remembers the events, smiles, and thinks to himself.

 _'He was always like that. Never letting anything get to him even as a freaking kid.'_

They found a good home for him, and became surrogate siblings to him, even giving him some training. Energetic and happy to a fault, he grew to be a very likable man who loved to help people, and who loved a good fight as well. Remembering how Gabriel and Alisha had helped him he opted to become a special operations agent who was sent to deal with "unique" cases that dealt outside the normal range of what usual spec-ops dealt with.

On a few occasions Gabriel and Alisha were invited to his missions as anonymous "contractors" or freelancers, just in case the mission went south. Of course, since only Dylan knew just how special and talented they really were, none of their missions went south.

His luck ran out however, as his last mission dealt with a very special case. During the last decade a new, international cult had surfaced that worshipped death and the idea that true renewal could not happen without the end of the world. Very few outside the internet took them seriously, that was until sympathizers of said cult had managed to gain access to nuclear codes and was close to using them. Dylan's team had been called in last minute to deal with the crisis, and was able to stop them from unleashing a nuclear catastrophe.

However, in order to save his team, and stop the launch of an armed nuke, he deliberately activated the self-destruct of the base while both he and it were still there. He died a heroic death, with the world none the wiser about how close they came to nuclear armageddon, or who had saved them. When Gabriel and Alisha looked into those events, they were told that the final video feed of Dylan before the explosion had been set off had him smiling ear to ear.

To which both of them had the same thought. _'That's just like him.'_ Not wanting to spoil the mood anymore they both teleported out of the observation deck to another location.

* * *

Back in their apartment, something was odd as the security system's display had begun to blink on and off continually. Their phone now had four missed messages from their friend Jon and small, barely audible clicking sounds were coming from the ceiling of the apartment. Those clicking sounds had begun from one click every minute, to two, to three, and so on for the last twenty minutes.

Then suddenly two objects fell onto the full dive consoles of both Gabriel and Alisha. At first glance they looked like little more than small roaches. Then these roaches started to attach themselves to the consoles and the headgears of each of them, with the ambient light revealing these "roaches" to be metallic in nature.

These "bugs" then started to glow a faint red color as a small and very brief surge of energy is emitted from the bugs into the VR equipment.

* * *

 **Time-23:02**

The happy couple reappears in a serene field of grass, flowers, and beautiful crystal formations jutting out of the ground, refracting the light of the artificial night sky into a beautiful aurora of colors and light around them. This is the fifth floor of Dracon's Keep, and by far the largest of all the floors, "Crystal Gardens." As Gabriel and Alisha walk hand in hand towards a nearby lake a magnificent sight awaits them.

The picturesque beauty of the floor could melt the heart as kaleidoscopes of shifting colors from the crystals bathe the green fields and open air in radiant light. In the distance, silver knights could be seen patrolling in tight and well disciplined formations with small buildings, towers, and forts dotted about the fields made of smoothed out, almost polished granite. An invader would be well fooled into thinking they were outside if not for the fact they would hit the ceiling of the false sky if they flew up.

Gabriel smiles as he walks with Alisha by his side, his left hand holding her right as they walk.

*sighs*"This sight always has an effect on me. It's so easy to forget it is not real." He says as he sees Alisha practically throw herself into his arms and they walk leisurely with his left arm over her shoulder and hers around his waist.

"Oh, Gabe.~ This couldn't be a more perfect sight for our night together. Hmm...Well, it'd be even more perfect if you were strolling around here in the nude.~" Her avatar flashes a wink emoji.

"Ha! Good luck getting the shitty devs to allow _that_ one."

"Is that a challenge, my dear Gabriel?~"

"Oh, it most certainly is angel."

*chuckles* "Well, to barrow the phrase you used on me this morning, 'challenge accepted babe'!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha. I'm going to hold you to that one!"

Both of their avatars flash smile emojis as they walk together towards a small lake that looked like a natural hot spring with a smooth rock formation at the far end. The other end that they were approaching had a large sakura tree that was perpetually in bloom and was about ten feet (3 meters) away from the edge of the water.

They both sat together under the tree with Alisha sitting between Gabriel's legs and they both leaned back against the large base of the sakura tree. After a moment of gazing at the water they both sigh in a relaxed and contented fashion. After a few minutes Alisha speaks in a completely relaxed tone of voice.

"I was wondering Gabe. Before the guild was named, you gave such a passionate speech, it made me all hot for you.~ Tell me, what had you so motivated that evening?"

Gabriel chuckles to himself, thinking the question pointless. "Why do you ask me questions if you already know the answers?"

"Maybe I just love hearing the sound of your voice?~ Or perhaps I just want to hear you say it aloud.~"

"Or maybe it's both?"

"Maybe~"

"Heh" *sighs* "Angel, being with you these past two-hundred and seventeen years has been nothing less than pure bliss. Before I met you, I was just an angry kid that hated everything around me. I hated the world, I hated life, I hated people, and I hated myself for being a powerless little boy who couldn't do anything but rely on others when things got bad."

His voice trailed off for a moment, as if remembering events long past.

"Then you came into my life. I gave you all I was and am, and in return I had found a love for life and a peace I never could have dreamed was possible. But for all of that, I have lived long enough to see the long, sad history of humanity in a broader scope than most could have conceived. Watching the stupidity of mankind play itself out again here in YGGDRASIL frustrated me to no end. It reminded me too much of all the things I have seen and my long forgotten anger came back, and I swore that even if it was just a simple virtual game, we would make a noticeable difference. Period."

Alisha was silent for a moment as she moved to cuddle with him, with his large arms wrapping around her. She lets out a relaxed and affectionate sigh before speaking.

"That's what I've always loved about you Gabe.~ A man of action, thoughts, ideals, and of words. I couldn't be happier being with you."

"Same here angel. Though don't get me wrong. I also get why being in the shadows and not standing out can be a good thing. Not drawing too much attention to yourself has its advantages. Still, if I see something, I gotta act in some way, covert or otherwise."

Alisha smiles and chuckles. "I'm glad I seduced that young boy I met at the hot spring so many nights ago." They both let out a chuckle as they both appreciated how their first meeting had turned out.

Gabriel and Alisha both gazed at the hot spring in front of them. It was a VR replica of the same place they had first met so long ago, and their memories were nearly in sync as they both recalled their "first time" together. Gabriel had lost his mother and father when he was just seven years old, and was adopted after he had been found wondering in the wilderness. His new godmother had moved them to a secluded mountain region that had a nearby natural hot spring.

One evening when he was fifteen years old, he had snuck out and had gone to that hot spring he had often used as a hiding place to relax and vent his youthful anger and frustrations. He had stripped down and just as he was going to enter the hot spring, Alisha had shot out of the surface of the water like she had been totally submerged and for a moment the younger Gabriel couldn't process what he was seeing.

He saw the most beautiful woman he had ever seen majestically rise from the water with her smooth, grey skin and nude body being illuminated by the light of the moon and stars. To him, her ethereal beauty made it look like she had fallen down to the Earth from the heavens itself. "Angel", was the first thought that came to his mind, but he neglected to keep it a thought as he had said it aloud.

Alisha noticed his presence and they just stared at each other, with Gabriel just awestruck and goggle-eyed, and Alisha was looking at him with a mixture of confusion, curiosity, and tenderness. She studied him and it took her no longer than twenty-five seconds for her to size him up. She saw a young teenager no older than fifteen with creamy emerald eyes, and long golden-blonde hair, staring at her with eyes filled with awe and wonder, with nary a speck of fear or hesitation.

She also saw him standing in the nude, with his _very_ well developed manhood standing at attention at the sight of her. She wore a warm and sultry smile as she had noticed this and instead of leaving promptly like she should have done, she decided to reward this strange and brave young man.

As she walked towards him with calm and grace, the young Gabriel just stood in place watching her every move, completely mesmerized by the moonlit beauty walking towards him. During this he was completely oblivious of his reaction south of his waist.

Alisha slowly reached out a hand to the young Gabriel's face and she expected him to retreat back after her eyes had flashed, reflecting the moonlight like a cat and him having a better look at her unnatural skin complexion. Instead, he continued to stand still, not out of fear but of awe, wonder, and a growing attraction.

He had completely given himself to this moment. She smiled at him again warmly and his heart melted, flooding him with feelings he couldn't even identify, let alone describe with words. Alisha closed in with her lips barely an inch (2 1/2cm) from his as she embraced him with one hand on his left face cheek, and the other wrapped around his waist.

"You are an interesting and brave young man. What is your name?"

Her voice was so soothing to his ears. It was like all his inner turmoil was gone and peace reigned, and as he gazed into her beautiful violet eyes something clicked in his brain and he returned her embrace with his own as he answered her question with conviction.

"My name is Gabriel. Might I have yours angel?"

For just a moment she was taken aback from the actions of this young man. There was no hesitation or fear in his voice or actions, with no stumbling of any kind. She had expected him to act like a love struck schoolboy, but despite his age he acted like a man ready to please his lover.

She could tell from his smell he was a virgin, but there was a maturity and focus to him. No hesitation or nervousness was present, and what's more his moniker for her had flattered her to no end. It was official: she was going to have this young man for the evening.

"My name is Alisha. As a reward for your sweet and honest behavior, I shall give you a night you shan't forget."

His response was a simple, "Please do".

That bit of cheeky confidence only added to her growing lust. It was there they had made love for the very first time, and what he may have lacked in experience he more than made up for with youthful energy, and Alisha was quite fond of youthful energy.

After a few hours, the young Gabriel was completely spent with Alisha at his side, who was smiling like the proverbial cat that swallowed the equally proverbial canary. After watching over him for another hour she turned to leave, but before she could he had grabbed her wrist with what little strength he had left.

"Wait." She looked down to him and gazed into his creamy emerald eyes that she had to admit she found quite alluring.

"Will I see you again?" He said as he smiled back at her, with his body completely spent and him barely holding onto consciousness.

For a moment she was actually struck with indecision, and that was a rare thing for someone who had lived since the early 1600s. Her original intention was to leave the young man with some good memories and to simply fade away. It was easier that way. Long term associations with humans never ended well due to their short lives, and yet she couldn't help but feel a pull on her heart and soul. Something drew her to him that she couldn't explain, and she decided to act against her better judgment.

Bending down to give him one simple kiss, she said only one more word. "Yes.~"

Gabriel smiled as he faded into unconsciousness. Alisha lightly shook her head as she smiled down at this young man who had somehow ensnared her with an invisible charm.

"Well, now. What's next I wonder.~" She says this as she cleans themselves up, dresses him and herself, and princess carries him back to where he lived by following the trail of his scent that was now filling her lungs. A mere seventeen years later they would be married and bonded in a private ceremony where their lives together had truly began.

"It only seems like yesterday, doesn't it?" Gabriel says with his voice full of happiness and contentment.

"Maybe to you love, but I have savored each and every waking moment with you all these years, and I have no regrets." Her voice was equal parts affectionate and serious, which took Gabriel a little bit by surprise.

Still, he knew how much she loved him and he her, and as he thought about it, the more it made sense that someone who had lived over twice as long as he had would want to live with as few regrets as possible. He did not want to even begin to imagine what his life would be like in another two-hundred or so years, but as long as Alisha was at his side he didn't care what came next.

"Say, Gabriel?~"

"Hmm? Yes my love?"

"Can you sing us a song?"

He chuckles at the request, gives her another embrace and stands up not saying another word. No words were really necessary as he had done this for her many other times. Gabriel was a very good singer, and to her he had a voice that was equal parts strong, gentle, and beautiful. She found the combination to be quite attention grabbing and even seductive.

In fact, they had gone to a few music clubs and bars in the past, and she would watch him from the stage and smile to herself as all in the audience would be dumbstruck by his talent. Alisha would chuckle at the awe and/or jealousy of the male audience, and she would be reveling at how the female audience would be mentally dropping their panties for him.

She could literally smell their arousal in the air as the combination of his voice and looks would entrance and seduce every woman in the room. She just _knew_ that those women would be working their husbands and/or lovers extra hard after those performances, and it made her smile at the thought that her Gabriel did that to them.

The whole display amused her to no end and brought a smug look on her face knowing that a man that could seduce an entire room's worth of women was hers alone. There would be occasions where she would be so impressed by his performance that she would talk Gabriel into picking up one or two lucky girls she thought were worthy of his body. She considered time with her love to be a gift and one which she didn't mind occasionally sharing with another lucky woman, and she knew that no matter her occasional "gifts" to Gabriel, his mind and heart was always for her alone.

Gabriel for his part took it all in stride. He actually found the act of sex without Alisha to be, while still pleasurable, rather boring since most normal human women couldn't last long with him. In addition, the bond he shared to Alisha intensifies the act with their interconnected feelings for one another. Still, knowing her giving and charitable nature it didn't bother him that much. If she considered it a gift to him and to the women he'd be pleasuring he wasn't going to argue. If anything, her sometimes impulsive decisions like that made their nightly outings to be rather extra exciting.

"Any song requests angel?" He asks as he walks a small distance so as to be between Alisha and the hot spring. He removes his sword from his back and stabs it into the ground for effect.

"Hmmm...~" She places her right index finger on her chin as she looks up in thought. After about a minute Alisha responds. "How about..."

* * *

Back in their apartment, their VR consoles start to glow a dull crimson light as the "bugs" from earlier also glow the same color in sync with the equipment. Then suddenly four metallic "mosquitoes" soundlessly float down to each of Gabriel's and Alisha's arms and they are painlessly injected by incredibly small, built-in syringes. Meanwhile, they are still completely unaware of the situation outside of their full-dive session.

A brief and dull beep sound is heard as a dark figure suddenly fades into view besides Alisha. The figure appears masculine in shape with black tactical gear that looks like a high tech suit of body armor, built for both combat and infiltration. Slow and calm breaths are barely heard in what sounds like a sealed breathing mask with softly glowing red eyes watching over the room.

The figure silently and rather smoothly steps forward as it draws a type of large handgun 7 inches (17.78cm) in length from a right-leg holster, stands in front of Alisha, and the round barrel takes aim at her chest. The figure stops a moment to gaze at the couples' left and right hands that are still held together. A barely audible, distorted voice comments.

"Humph. How poetic. They shall die hand in hand."

After making that comment, a "click" sound is heard from both the weapon and front door of the apartment.

* * *

 **Time-23:50**

Back in the VR environment of YGGDRASIL, Gabriel stood facing the hot spring as he has just finished singing a song that echoed throughout the 5th-floor area through use of a special cash shop item that was like the equivalent of a mic. His singing faded as Alisha sat behind giving him a round of applause.

"Oh, that was wonderful Gabe!~" She said enthusiastically as she continued to clap her hands.

"I could listen to you for hours.~"

Gabriel takes a bow as he is showered with praise from Alisha. He walks forward as she stops clapping, and he notices her head is looking down as he bends knee to her. For a moment, he thinks this is odd, but then he starts to feel something is wrong. She feels uneasy and even sad. The emotions he was feeling from her were the polar opposite of just a few seconds ago.

 _'Something's not right with her. Why is she like this all of a sudden?'_ He thinks to himself as he looks upon Alisha's strange behavior.

After a brief moment, she looks up at him, and turns on the inner helmet video feed so he can see her face through a virtual window that is given a display in front of her avatar's face. Gabriel activates his since this seemed a very serious moment.

He sees her expression and feels her emotions, which were a blend of worry, sadness, and most tellingly of all, regret. Full on, deep-rooted regret that felt so deep and so intense that he could not help but shake from the impact these flood of emotions were having on him. He was getting nervous, but he had started to feel another emotion he hadn't felt in a long time: fear.

He was so afraid at what he was feeling from Alisha that he did not know what to do with it. Alisha herself was struck by his sudden emotions in turn and their roller coaster of feelings started to blend as one until they couldn't tell who was feeling what anymore. Tears started to form in Alisha's eyes as she spoke to Gabriel in a voice full of sorrow.

"I'm sorry, Gabe. I..." Just as she uttered those words her eyes shot wide open in shock and horror.

White hot, intense pain flooded her consciousness as blood could be seen flowing out of her mouth in her facial display window. Her breathing became labored and intensely painful as her tears freely started to flow like a dam had burst.

"My God. ALISHA!"

Panic, pain, and utter horror enveloped Gabriel's senses as he reacted immediately, cradling Alisha's avatar in his arms as his mind was a mess of confusion and shock. He immediately sends a mental command to the system to log them out of YGGDRASIL but it does not work. He tries again, with the same results, and a third time but received an extremely painful electric feedback.

"I can't log out. WHY CAN'T I LOG OUT?! ALISHA!"

He sees Alisha coughing and gagging on her own blood as he senses she is in intense pain and shock. He almost tries to log them out again, but before he does a thought comes to him.

 _'That shock felt intense! I can't fucking process what's going on but if I felt that, then she did too! In her condition...'_

His brain was now working at lightning speeds, and although panic, concern, fear, and a multitude of other emotions were threatening to overwhelm his senses he powered on through as he tried to get a grip on the situation. His beloved Alisha had suffered a critical physical attack of some kind back in their home. That much was obvious as he was desperately trying to focus his thoughts that were being assaulted by feelings and emotions from both his own mind as well as Alisha's.

He couldn't even process them all so he labored to focus on his own and then he sent a mental command to the external camera on his VR helmet. The sight before him was a massive shock to him as he was seeing two figures engaged in a bloody hand-to-hand melee. One was a figure using serrated combat knives and was wearing high-tech tactical gear he didn't recognize, while the other was a brown, giant bipedal wolf whom he instantly recognized.

"J...Jon?! That's Jon! Transformed?! Who the hell is he fighting that would need him to do that?!"

Gabriel's mind was a mess. Nothing made sense anymore, but another thought comes to him as he tries to get a handle on the situation. He sends a signal to the external cam on his helmet to swivel to Alisha on his left. The image he receives horrifies him and sends cold chills down to his very core.

"Dear God NO! Center-mass? TH...that's...a...fatal..."

His words trail off as he can't finish, or rather doesn't want to finish as the reality of the situation sinks in. Alisha's chest cavity was blown open. He knew in his soul that without _immediate_ treatment Alisha's death was certain.

"No. NO! Jon?! JON! Can you hear me?! Finish that fight NOW! Alisha's...She's..."

His tears begin a free-fall as helplessness and despair begin to overwhelm him. For over two-hundred years he has lived with Alisha, sharing everything together, good times and bad, but always did they come through, but now it was all crashing down and he couldn't contain himself anymore.

"NOOOO! Alisha! ALISHA! PLEASE! HANG ON! DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!"

His mind was in complete chaos and before he could say another word, Alisha's virtual hand cradles his virtual face.

"Shhhh...you're so loud you could wake the dead my love.~"

Her breathing was labored but calm as she spoke to him. In that moment, he felt his mind at peace again. Even in a situation like this, one sentence from her was all that was needed to calm him.

A small ember of hope flashes in his mind as he forces a smile on his tear soaked face. She was strong. Any other vampire would be dead already, but he held out the hope the blood magic in her veins and their bond could sustain her long enough for help to come.

"Alisha..."

Before he could continue Alisha places her hand on his virtual mouth to silence him.

"I'm sorry my love but...*cough*...there's no time left for me."

Gabriel blood ran cold with that sentence. The same voice that had brought him endless peace, now brought a bottomless dread. He could not say anything, so deep was his shock. His thoughts now filled with a sorrow that could literally end a person's life.

 _'Dear God no. Not like this! Anything but this! Not her. Why?!'_

"My beautiful Gabriel...*coughs*...I am so sorry for this, but I need to promise me something..."

He doesn't even speak as he just nods as they lock their eyes on each other through their respective video feeds.

"I will be gone soon, and with my death...*coughs*...there will be so much pain. I don't want this pain to corrupt and change the man I love. Promise me, when I die that you will not seek out revenge and bury yourself in hate. Move on with your life. Live. Live your life, not just for me but yourself. Find a way to move on and be happy."

Gabriel was stunned. He could not comprehend any of what his beloved wife and bondmate had just said to him. Everything was now inverted. Up was down, white was black, love was sorrow. Nothing could make sense anymore. He could _feel_ her life slowly slipping away as if it were his own. It was one thing to watch someone you loved die, but it was something else entirely to feel it as well. Just as his mind was about to slip into that pit with her, Alisha forcefully shakes him and raises her voice.

"GABRIEL! PROMISE ME!" She was in tears and desperate for his answer as she roared at him, feeling her life-force slipping away.

Gabriel grits his teeth so hard they felt as if they could break. He hesitated for only a moment as his voiced cracked with sorrow.

"Yes. I promise."

Alisha smiles as she hears those words. The same smile he had seen a thousand times before, that had brought him so much joy, was now filling him with sorrow knowing that this was likely the last time he would see it again.

"Thank you, my Gabriel." Her tone of voice is relaxed and at peace, seeming to have accepted her love's response.

Gabriel holds her close, embracing her with all his might as he tries to hold her away from the very doors of death itself.

"Please take care of yourself and the..."

He could not even hear her last words. His mind, heart, and soul were in complete shambles as he could feel the last embers of her life-force leave her body. Her virtual hands fell limp from his avatar, as a second later her avatar vanishes in blue light, with a brief system message that blinks, [SIGNAL HAS BEEN LOST].

 **Time-23:59:00**

He slowly stands his avatar up like a zombie coming out of its grave. His green eyes were lifeless and void of all emotion. The tears had then stopped flowing, and in their place were streams of blood. The "bloody tears" was a sign that a bondmate had passed away and their link cut. For a brief moment he just stands motionless, but then he speaks aloud to himself.

"Not yet. Her revival is still possible. The forbidden knowledge she gave me. It requires some sacrifices but it's still not too late. She probably won't forgive me if I do this, but I'd rather live with that than this. Got to get out of here. Got to prepare her body for the ritual before..."

His voice trails off as he notices his external view port is showing an empty room.

The pitched melee was gone, as well as its fighters. His external camera shows one massive hole in the living room windows. The logical conclusion being that the fight moved out of their area, likely in an attempt by Jon to keep the intruder and murderer from finishing things.

Gabriel tries a mental command to log out, but again was met with electrical shock fed back into his brain.

"Ugh! Damn it!"

He next tries to use the manual method and opens up his console, but is met with the same results.

"GODDAMMIT!"

He is overcome with rage as he starts slamming his fist into the console over and over in an attempt to log out from YGGDRASIL. So great was his fury that not even the electric shocks delivered right into his skull was stopping him. His actual body started to bleed out from the nose, ears, and mouth as he continually punches the console. His avatar's hands go to his face as he breaks down and cries.

"Let me out." He says this to no one in particular as his desperation begins to consume him.

"LET ME OUT! I CAN STILL SAVE HER! SOMEBODY! ANYBODY! PLEASE! LET ME OUT!"

 **Time-23:59:55**

All sanity and reason begins to leave him as he starts to claw and tear at his own avatar in a desperate attempt to leave YGGDRASIL. All his emotions were now out of control as he unconsciously activates a skill in his avatar's armor, [Rage of the Emerald Dragon].

His avatar's body is enveloped by bright emerald flames that shoots out and causes massive area-of-effect damage. He cries out to the heavens and screams and roars. The sounds fill the air of both his apartment and in YGGDRASIL as his cries and roars of despair echo throughout both places.

"ARGAAAAAHHAAAAAAA! HAAAAARGAAAAAAAA!"

 **23:59:58**

 **23:59:59**

Gabriel continues to scream and roar in agony as his vision turns white with the change of the hour and the powers of his avatar explodes all around him, and the echoes of his cries fade from space.

 **00:00:00**

 **00:00:01**

 **00:00:02**

 **00:00:03**

When the flames dissipate the area looks almost completely different from what was previously there. The ground looks grey and scorched like there had been a volcano eruption, high winds are blowing ash and soot all around like tornado, and Gabriel was on his knees, blood still flowing from his eyes and mouth, and his arms at his sides with no life in them.

Strangely, his armor was gone and he was completely in the nude. As he stayed on his knees, he gave off the look and feel of a broken man. Gabriel's mind, soul, and heart was completely broken and in absolute shambles. He was a hollow shell of a man that did not even notice he was no longer in his apartment as he absently stared at the ground.

His mind flashes with images of Alisha and their time together in various times and places throughout their two centuries together. Happy times traveling the world together, from Tokyo tower, to Niagara Falls, to the Coral Reefs, to the North Pole, to the Northern Lights of the Aurora Borealis, to the Eiffel Tower, and finally to only one thing: Alisha's serene smiling face.

It was the only thing he saw anymore as he looked down at the ground. He no longer felt her presence, her emotions, her feelings, or her life. For the first time in so long he was now truly alone. His life flashes back to his memories of loss as his image of Alisha shattered in his mind.

He remembered his mother and father, them telling him they loved him just before they tossed him out of a window of their burning home to save him. He remembers falling down into a rushing river that was just below, saving him as the current carried him away.

He remembers how alone he felt as a child of seven years, having to fend for himself in the woods, before he met his godmother, the sister of his friend Jon, Regina. She took him in, gave him a home, and helped him find true peace as that led to his meeting Alisha. Although he lost his godmother Regina to the fires of World War II, he still had Alisha.

When he helped bring children into the world and watch them grow, age, and outlived and buried them he still had Alisha. When his student, friend, and YGGDRASIL guild-mate Dylan died a heroic but nameless death, he still had Alisha. Now? All he saw ahead of him was emptiness.

His dazed, unaware, and lifeless eyes lifted up and saw a sword standing up in the grey winds that were now dying down. It did not seem to register in his broken mind that the weapon he was gazing upon was his YGGDRASIL sword, [Krysseatheum].

The only thing he could think, the only thing in his mind was to end his cycle of pain and loss. He did not want a long life if Alisha was not in it. He walks like an undead towards the weapon in his sight. He grabs it, points the blade at his chest, and has one last thought as he weeps his voice cracking as he speaks aloud.

"Alisha. I'm so sorry. I can't keep my promise to you."

With that last breath he falls on his sword, with the blade meeting little to no resistance in piercing his flesh.

He doesn't even feel the pain as he slides down the length of the blade. All he feels is his release. Soon he can rest, and maybe see his angel again, if the fates were kind to him in death. Suddenly, the sword that he pierced himself with started to vibrate and feels warm to the touch. It was like it was trying to pull itself away from him.

"Un? Please be quiet. Just let me go in peace." He says to seemingly no one in particular.

Then he starts to hear voices just a short distance from him. One was male and another was female. The male voice sounded like an upper class british man, while the female voice had an American accent that was cool and pleasant, almost comforting.

"We must hurry. I can feel the master's life fading!" The male voice says.

"Look at this place. Its been reduced to ashes!~" The female voice says.

"There he is!" The male voice.

"Master? Master?! Hold on!" The female voice says as they run up to Gabriel, with their forms still unclear due to the clouds of ash still floating in the air.

"Oh, dear. This doesn't look good. He pierced himself with the [Krysseatheum]. I can feel his HP falling fast. I'm afraid our abilities alone won't be able to completely heal him." The male voice.

"Then we take him to the infirmary on the 8th floor! Thank the lady we have rings to teleport. Please, my lord. Hold on.~"

Gabriel's half opened eyes water and close as his consciousness fades. As it does he hears the nonsense around him and has one final thought for whoever was coming to save him.

 _'Just let me die. I'll kill you if you save me.'_


	3. Chapter 3-Time of Confusion

***Hey everyone! Thanks for the input on my work! I've gotten some great reactions, both in reviews and PMs. It's my aim to continue that trend as the story unfolds. For those who posted reviews last time, stick around after the chapter for individual replies! That will be a thing from now on so be sure to expect it. It might be informative! Also, I'll go ahead and answer this question; yes Ainz/Momonga will show up eventually. It'll just be a while before that happens. When? Well, that's a spoiler so you'll have to wait. ;)  
What? You thought you'd get all the answers in one paragraph? Where's the fun in that? ;)  
And as always, constructive criticism via reviews and PMs are always welcome. Who knows? They might even influence how future events unfold. ;) Anyways, without further ado, onward to the chapter! :D***

* * *

 **Chapter 3-Time of Confusion**

 **8th-Floor, The Heart of Dracon's Keep**

There was a bustle as men and women of various humanoid races scrambled to treat a most unexpected and shocking patient: Gabriel Erin Dracon, Leader of the High Lords, their creators, and Master of Dracon's Keep. Angelic doctors in plain white and gold button up suits with a green cross symbol on the upper part of their arm sleeves race to cast some healing and life support magicks onto Gabriel, who was now in a wide open room with a central medical gurney made of silver and glowing blue crystals.

A succubus with a light lavender skin complexion and in white and green nurse's attire directs elven nurses in white and pink nurse outfits to bring potions and supplies from the storage areas to the emergency operating room reserved only for the treatment of their High Lords or their special guests. Meanwhile, a mature female voice sounds throughout the facility of shining glass, white polished marble walls, blue steel, and sweet smelling greenery, from what could be the magical equivalent of a loud speaker.

{To all personnel, this is a Class-0 emergency! All on-duty and off-duty personnel are to immediately report to their own Area Guardians and supervisors. This is not a drill. I say again, this is NOT A DRILL!}

In the infirmary of the Sanctuary of Ianuaria, a numbered rating system is used to give cases certain levels of importance and priorities on resources. The system classifies a number "10" case as the most minor and least important requiring only minimal aid from a single nurse. A number "0" case is the worst of the worst, requiring an "all hands on deck" response.

Most of the NPCs in this area expected a large invasion the likes of which resulted in large amounts of casualties, where the dead and injured were piled high in their halls. What they got was a single patient, who was brought in by the 8th-Floor Guardians who were also Commander and Vice-Commander of all the Keep's Guardians and NPCs. As they rushed to fulfill their duties their blood ran cold as they steadily learned the identity of said patient.

A pair of off-duty nurses, one being a level-2 homunculus named Mina who looked about nineteen years old, and the other a twenty year old level-5 human named Addison-Rei, ran through the halls half-naked, dressing themselves as they ran from their dormitory to report in. As they did the women were talking about what little they had heard prior to the alert and how shocking it was to them.

"This cannot be true, can it Addy?~" Mina, the 5 1/2 foot (168 cm) tall and 100 lbs (45.4 kg) homunculus with brown hair and red eyes said in a friendly but worried tone to her fellow nurse.

"From what little I heard, it is very real Mimi.~" Addison-Rei, the human nurse of equal height and 110 lbs (49.9 kg) with white hair and blue eyes replied in a firm, friendly, but worried tone.

"I...I can't even picture it...Lord Gabriel himself, critically injured.*sniff*" Mina begins to tear up.

Addison-Rei, whom was disturbed as well, was maintaining her focus and her composure. She thinks to herself as they both finish fixing their hair after they had fully dressed for duty.

 _'Ah~ah. There she goes again with the tears. Better not tell her all of what I heard, otherwise she's be bawling her eyes out.'_

"As my creator would say, 'man up' Mimi! We have a job to do."

"Uh, I...okay...but I'm not a man.~" Mina says while blushing shyly.

"Ugh! Just get your bony ass movin'! We're almost at our stations and we need to have our focus!" Addison says in a forceful tone to help her comrade get her act together.

"Uh...right!~"

They both turn a corner as they enter a transparent room full of other nurses and male technicians in neon green scrubs who are busily moving supplies around and trading and giving instructions.

Down the hall, a room with marble double-doors with a glowing red light above can be seen with a pair of lvl-60 elven silver knights in full-plate gear stands guard. Their job was to allow only those approved individuals inside as the master of their home is being treated and had been treated for the last hour and a half by their reckoning.

Suddenly, a loud *BOOM!* that shakes the area is heard on the other side startling the guards and everyone else present. Then a loud *CRASH!* is heard along with muffled screams, roars, and cursing along with the sounds of fighting. Everyone in the area is worried and terrified but their orders were to remain outside until summoned. Then, some muffled spell casting is heard.

"[Reinforce Armor], [Shield Wall], [Greater Strength], [Greater Luck]!"

*CRASH!*BOOM!*

The human nurse from earlier shouts at these events.

"WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS HAPPENING IN THERE?!"

* * *

 **INSIDE OPERATING ROOM-37 MINUTES EARLIER**

Gabriel was lying on the same central medical gurney as before, but was now seemingly stable as the only one at his side was an elven nurse who was checking on his vitals on a crystal display behind his head. She wore a pink nurse's outfit with white leggings and a nurse's hat with a green cross symbol on it. She had lavender hair tied in a single braid that went down to the middle of her back, and two shining gold eyes that looked upon the display in front of her vision with an intense focus.

There were small tubes in each of Gabriel's arms, with the one on the right feeding a bright glowing, red fluid into his arm, while the one on the left fed his arm a bright, glowing blue fluid that flowed like his body was drinking it in. He had a golden colored crystal attached to his forehead that seemed to pulse along with his heart beat.

An angelic female doctor about 5 ft 11 in (180.3 cm) in height with a well proportioned figure weighing in about 120 lbs (54.4 kg) was nearby with two folded white wings. She was also looking over some readings on a crystal tablet, sitting behind a marble desk about 2 meters away (6.56 ft) from where Gabriel was.

She had dark, navy-blue hair and light sky-blue eyes that also had an intense focus. As she went over the data, her facial expressions went through a series of changes and shifts that ranged from concern, to relief, and to confusion. Whatever the data she read it had her on edge about her lord's condition.

The elven nurse finishes her check up on Gabriel's condition as she walks over to her lord's side with a look of concern and sadness on her face as she looks upon his.

 _'Please get well soon my lord. Everyone in your glorious Keep worries and prays for your swift recovery and your well-being.'_ She thinks this to herself as she gazes upon his sleeping face which seemed to be peaceful to her.

As she looks upon him, her vision slowly wanders from his face to his bare chest as only a simple white sheet covers his muscular body from the waist down. As she looks upon him her face starts to feel hot as she blushes.

 _'L...L...Lord Gabriel's naked body...is right in front of me! Kyaa!~'_

The nurse was mentally doing somersaults like a girl that had finally met her idol.

Widening her eyes in embarrassment she looked around the room to see if anyone had noticed her actions. To her left in a corner of the room was the Commander and Vice-Commander of all of the Keep's NPCs, Walter Bernard Montgomery and Tamura Oakenfold. They seemed to be deep in discussing something by themselves while a few other nurses were taking stock of supplies on various marble shelves, drawers, and cabinets that lined the circular room.

There was the Head Doctor to her right that was keeping a close eye on all the vitals and test results from their master's treatments. In short, no one in the room was really paying any attention to the 5 1/2 foot (167.64 cm), 95 lb (43.1 kg) elven nurse. Her lips pursed and her face becomes an even brighter shade of red as a thought struck her mind like lightning.

 _'No one's looking, and I AM a nurse so checking up on my patient is only natural, right? RIGHT?!~'_

She tries to rationalize the impulses coursing through her being as she slowly lowers face down to Gabriel's chest so that her right ear makes contact. She quivers as the skin of her ear touches the skin of her master's chest. If anyone looked in her direction all they would see was an elf nurse using her superior hearing to get a reading on Gabriel's heart rate and pulse. Of course, it wasn't Gabriel's pulse that was on her mind at the moment.

 _'Kyaa!~ What am I doing?! I'm so horrible! Our lord and master was reduced to this state and here I am indulging in my impulses! O, creator! Forgive me!'_

What she didn't know was that her creator most likely made her to be that way to begin with. This was made even worse by the fact that NPCs generally held their masters in extremely high regard.

As the nurse's face becomes red hot from the situation, another impulse strikes her as she reaches for the white sheet that covers Gabriel's lower half. To ensure she isn't caught she doesn't hesitate and reaches down and pulls up the covers to get a good look at Gabriel's manhood. After about thirty seconds of staring at her master's flaccid member she pulls away, and in almost robotic movements walks out of the room quickly and smoothly with her face as red as a tomato as she thinks to herself.

 _'Kyaaa!~ He's so big! Even soft! I mean, it's the first I've ever seen but still! And Lady Alisha has THAT all to herself?! I've gotta go before I do something reeeeeally stupid! Staff restroom here I come!~'_

As the elven nurse hurriedly exits the double doors she passes Commander Walter and Vice-Commander Tamura while they held a conversation that had seemed to create no sound whatsoever. What she didn't realize was that they were under a series of spells used to block any eavesdropping. The spells used were [False Cover], [Counter Detect], and [Silencing Field].

Without actually being in the affected area or using high level skills or items, listening in was nigh impossible. That was how serious they were about the conversation they were engaged in.

"Have the scouts found it yet?" Walter asks in a calm tone that belies his worry and concern.

"No, I'm afraid not. They have checked every square inch of the 5th Floor but there is no sign. It's as if it has disappeared. All that was left was the master's sword, amulet, and rings, all of which have been taken to the treasury." Tamura replies in a light and urgent tone.

*sighs* "This is troubling. Lord Gabriel's armor is an extremely powerful relic. Something like that does not simply vanish."

"I realize that but it does not change the fact that it is gone, along with our Lady." Tamura finishes her sentence with an undercurrent of sadness and grief that she is barely able to hold in.

Walter for his part also has trouble doing the same as he is quick to wipe a single tear that forms at the corner of his left eye.

"This is difficult for both of us but until our Lord Gabriel recovers we need to ensure the safety of the Keep. Unfortunately, that includes keeping news of Lady Alisha's passing quiet."

"I know. If word got out that the queen of the high lords has perished the entire Keep would be crippled from the grief alone. Only the presence of our master Lord Gabriel could keep that from happening."

Tamura paused as she considered the situation that had been unfolding.

"We were able to keep things quiet on the 5th Floor and had the residents sworn to silence, but I am unsure how long that can last. Already, rumors had spread of Lord Gabriel's condition and the strange absence of the rest of our High Lords."

"Fortunately, it is a well known fact that the High Lords routinely leave the Keep on missions of their own so that should not be an issue. Still, you are correct about the rest, which is why I have ordered the Keep to be put on our highest level of readiness. It should keep everyone distracted until we can sort through all this." Walter said as he cups his chin with his left hand in thought, and then looks to Tamura once again.

"The item our creator gifted to you confirmed her passing, and the few distorted memories you glimpsed from Lord Gabriel all but reinforced that as well. Speaking of which, how are you faring?" Walters asks with a soft and concerned tone.

Tamura keeps her head lowered for a moment before lifting it up to answer.

"Not well. Lady Alisha's loss shattered Lord Gabriel's heart and mind. I could barely confirm her passing through all the distorted images I glimpsed using [Memory Magic]. I am uncertain as to what condition Lord Gabriel will be in once he awakens. *sighs* Our master had been laid so low as to try and take his own life. It breaks my heart to think of it."

Tamura couldn't hold the tears in any longer as they started to flow. Walter hands her a clean white handkerchief.

*sniffles* "I'm sorry. I couldn't hold it in any longer. Not after thinking back on that..."

Walter holds up a hand to stop her from continuing and speaks apologetically.

"It is I who should be apologizing, Tamura. For making you remember such things."

Walter closes his eyes and bows slightly at the waist in apology. Just as he lifts his head back up he sees the angelic doctor wave them over to her desk.

"It seems the Head Doctor has some news for us. Shall we?"

Walter slowly walks past Tamura as they both approach her desk.

"Yes, Doctor Althia Tanos? Have you discovered something?" Walter asks in a casual manner.

The angelic doctor, Althia Tanos, is the Head Doctor of the Sanctuary of Ianuaria, where all medical needs are treated within Dracon's Keep. She is a level-90 angel and like all the NPCs in the Sanctuary was created by Gabriel's guild-mate Joseph Peter Andersen, who in real life was a combat medic before he left the military to become a private practice doctor.

As she turned to face her two superiors, her face had a look of relief, confusion, and worry as she spoke to them in a serious and stern tone of voice.

"First, I can definitively say that our Lord Gabriel is no longer in danger and should make a complete physical recovery. That said, I must inform the both of you that things have become much more complex since you had brought him here."

Both Walter and Tamura straightened themselves and focused completely so as not to miss a single word spoken. The word that caught their attention the most in her brief verbal report was "complex", and they knew that the top medical professional in Dracon's Keep would not use that word to describe her patient without very good reason.

"Firstly, despite Lord Gabriel having been healed from the brink of death his strength level has been decreased. Somehow, our lord's level has been reduced from level-100 to level-95."

Both the guardians reeled from the implications. Somehow their master had become a full five levels weaker in addition to his [Armor of the Emerald Dragon] having gone missing. As they were mulling over this new information the Head Doctor spoke up again to regain their attention, her voice filled with a stern seriousness.

"Tell me you two, when you saved Lord Gabriel, did you save him from before he had succumbed to death or after?"

Tamura responded immediately to the question.

"It was before! He was still alive when we found him. Barely yes, but still very much alive."

"I see. Then tell me, does his weapon have the ability to drain levels?"

Tamura was rendered wide-eyed and speechless from the question while Walter merely cocked an eyebrow as he studied the doctor's facial features and body language. He could tell that she was not bluffing and was completely confident in her assessment. Realizing this he responded.

"My dear Doctor Tanos, before I answer your query, I must ask that you answer mine first. How did you come to that conclusion?"

She looked at Walter with eyes that looked like they could bore holes into his skull as she responded with an indignant posture.

"Do you take me for a fool Commander? Even though you two healed him well enough to stabilize him for travel, I could tell what caused that damage with but a glance. Even if my creator and Lady Alisha didn't impart the knowledge of all the High Lords weapons into my being, as the Head Doctor and one of the top four in intelligence I could still figure it out. I am not the Head Doctor in name only." She finished her last sentence with venom in her voice that clearly showed her displeasure.

Both Walter and Tamura looked at each other like they had swallowed a bitter worm. In their efforts to safeguard their master's dignity and to keep recent events quiet they had insulted the very reason for their comrade's existence. They both slightly bowed at the waist as Tamura answered for them both.

"We sincerely apologize Doctor Tanos. It was not our intention to insult your profession or to do the same to your station. I am sure you can understand why we did what we did. And to answer your question no, Lord Gabriel's weapon does not possess such a power. Although our High Lords kept many secrets, that was not one of them. The Guardian of the Treasury, Charon Zobach, had informed us of the abilities of Lord Gabriel's weapon shortly before we had arrived."

The Head Doctor's posture softens after Tamura spoke. She rubs her eyes with her left hand as she lets out a tired sigh.

"I accept your apology, and I fully understand your intent but from now on I expect full disclosure on anything that relates to my patient and our lord. We are in this together after all. *sighs* Now that we've covered that, let me say that the only ways I am aware of that could cause Lord Gabriel's level to drop like this, is if he was resurrected from death, causing the resulting life-force drain to sap his levels. If not then the only other method would be the use of a level draining World Class Item. If these did not occur then I am at a total loss." She closes her eyes and shrugs as she finishes her statement.

Just as Walter was about to sink into thought over this new information his eyes twitch as he realizes something.

"Doctor, before you began to tell us this, you used the word 'firstly'. That implies that there is more going on with our lord's condition than that of his levels."

Doctor Tanos smirks, nods, and turns in her swivel chair as she beckons them to look over her shoulder at the glass display on her desk that looked like the magical equivalent of a computer monitor. She manipulates various runic symbols on a nearby rectangular tablet to display some new information. The information looked almost exactly like that of a YGGDRASIL character screen from the game. It listed all of Gabriel's various stats in real time. Everything from his HP, MP, strength, speed, dexterity, intelligence, resistance, and various other miscellaneous attributes had been displayed.

Just as the wide range of information was shown to them, both Walter's and Tamura's eyes widened in shock at what they were seeing on the screen. Doctor Tanos then speaks to them after noticing their reactions.

"As you can see, every one of Lord Gabriel's stats and vitals are now in a constant state of flux. Everything from his HP and so on is fluctuating so rapidly that they cannot be clearly read."

She had paused briefly before continuing.

"I cannot even guess what the cause of this may be, but it is my opinion that his attempted suicide is not the root cause of this. In all honesty, from my perspective it's like his body is engaged in some sort of internal struggle with itself. It's like the equilibrium between all his bodily, mental, and I daresay his spiritual functions have been disrupted by some unknown phenomenon."

As she had finished her explanation, both Tamura and Walter stared silently and blankly at the screen. For a moment their faces were the picture of calm and unmoving, but then went through a series of changes that ranged from confusion, worry, shock, and disbelief. Tamura would be the one to break the silence once again.

"Could this be something related to Lord Gabriel's nature as a Methuselah? After all, that type of human is extremely powerful and rare."

"I had already considered that as a possibility, and while it is a sound theory I'm afraid that is not the case. I have enough information at my disposal to make that conclusion. And I am afraid that is not all either."

Doctor Tanos manipulates more symbols and the display changes to a microscopic view of blood vassals and cells. Although neither Walter nor Tamura were that familiar with cell structure and anatomy, what they saw further surprised them. Dr. Tanos was enjoying their reactions since she had gone through the same phases herself.

"Wha…what are those THINGS in Lord Gabriel's blood?" Tamura says with her voice full of worry and concern.

"You can relax Vice-Commander Tamura. My creator had imparted knowledge of such things upon my creation. These new structures that you can clearly see in Lord Gabriel's blood are what are known as nanomachines. From what Lord Joseph taught me, the humans of his home realm created these artificial cells that can carry out a number of tasks depending on their design. This can include anything from the exchange of information of bodily function, to the repair or destruction of cells on a microscopic level, or even the enhancement of one's physical attributes."

As the angelic doctor finished her summary both Walter and Tamura's expressions had become extremely pensive, and once again Doctor Tanos was getting a great deal of amusement from these reactions. She had gone through them herself and loved the company of similar minds.

"I knew the High Lords were incredible, but to think that their places of origin could also be so incredible. Tell us Doctor Tanos, have you been able to determine the purpose and function of these 'nanomachines' in Lord Gabriel's blood?" Tamura asked.

"To an extent I have. These particular ones seem to be acting as an all-purpose medium for our lord. They internally send and receive information between each other and our lord's body, but during our examinations I noticed that they were also repairing some of the damage our master suffered on a cellular level. Furthermore, they seem to be enchanted with some unknown form of magic."

Walter's eyebrow cocked at that last statement and as he pushed his glasses up he spoke.

"Pardon me Doctor, but can you elaborate on this 'unknown magic'? Did not Lord Joseph impart medical and magical knowledge of all types onto you?"

Dr. Tanos' right eye twitched at this statement but then let out a defeated sigh.

"That he did, and as difficult as it may be to believe, this magic that enchants the nanomachines is outside the scope of the knowledge my creator had given me. It does not correspond to any tiered magic type, and after closer examination found it is fundamentally different. It is not imbued with MP, but rather is empowered with the life-energy typically associated with HP. More specifically, with Lord Gabriel's HP."

"So these 'nanomachines' are actually helping him then?" Tamura inquired.

"Yes, although they are just one piece of a larger puzzle I have yet to solve."

As the three begin to sink into thought, a console next to the Head Doctor chimes a sound. The doctor moves slightly to her left to check it and Walter speaks with curiosity in his voice.

"What is that, Dr. Althia Tanos?"

"It is Lord Gabriel's brainwave readings. They were at low levels, but now they are showing he is in a dreamlike state."

"Is that so?~ I wonder what he is dreaming about?" Tamura asked with curiosity.

* * *

A gentle breeze was blowing through the night air, as wind chimes let out small, gentle sounds. A moonlit bedroom with open windows is seen with Gabriel laying down on its right side and covered with a white sheet, with his long blonde hair spread all over his pillow. He stares blankly at the ceiling as confusion is painted all across his face as he speaks to himself.

"Huh? Where am I? I…I don't remember getting here."

He turns his head to the left to see the very familiar backside of his love Alisha. He sees her stir and she turns around to face him with all smiles.

"Hello Gabriel.~ Did you sleep well?~"

Her radiant smile melts his heart as he gazes upon her.

' _Was it all just a horrible nightmare?'_ He thinks to himself as he embraces her with his forehead leaned into hers, and tears streaming down his face.

"Oh, Alisha. Thank goodness." His voice was full of relief as it cracks.

He looks at her and when he does he senses something is amiss. Alisha does not return the embrace and her smile was gone, and in its place was a look of bewilderment and confusion.

"What's wrong, Alisha?" He asks now confused himself.

"I'm sorry, but who are you talking about? Who is this 'Alisha'?"

Gabriel's heart skipped a beat at the sudden question. He smiles thinking she was playing a game of some sort.

"Come on Alisha, don't play around." Just as he spoke her body started to feel colder all of a sudden.

"Alisha? What's going on? Why do you feel so cold?" He asks with his voice full of worry.

In response, Alisha looks at him with empty eyes and a blank expression.

"I'm sorry Gabriel, but she is no longer here, and it is time for you to wake up now. Danger will soon be approaching. Goodbye."

Her voice fades and her skin is now ice cold to the touch. Gabriel begins to panic as he speaks with his voice raised.

"Alisha, what are you saying? What's going on?! Alisha!"

As he had finished saying her name one last time, the flesh of her body had begun to horrifyingly melt away in his arms revealing her skeleton.

Gabriel stares in horror at the sudden sight and as he begins to pull away the skeleton then began to crumble into dust. He reels back and jumps out of the bed and when he does this the room begins to shake and break apart. Gabriel was unable to process what is happening around him as his eyes are wide in horror with his mouth agape.

Suddenly, it's like reality itself breaks apart and he finds himself floating in a vast void of darkness completely naked. At first, he panics at the sudden change in environs, but then as he looks around he begins to calm down, seemingly recognizing the place he was in. Suddenly, a green emerald light shines behind him as a deep, booming, and familiar voice speaks.

"The time has come. Let her loss fuel you as our souls become what they were meant to be, Gabriel."

Gabriel swings around to see a giant, emerald colored, dragon shaped flame before him. It then tenses up and with a roar flies towards Gabriel and swallows him whole.

* * *

Back in the treatment room, Walter, Tamura, and Althia Tanos are the only ones left as they continue to discuss the current situation. Suddenly, a wave of scalding hot steam erupts from Gabriel as his screams echo in the treatment room. Although taken by complete surprise, the three of them take cover behind the Head Doctor's desk. Tamura doesn't miss a beat and casts [Greater Heat Resistance] upon the three of them.

Walter, calmly and nonchalantly speaks to Tamura as they do so.

"Well, my dear. You wished to know what kind of dream Lord Gabriel was having. I hope this satisfies your curiosity."

Tamura looks at Walter with a mixture of embarrassment and regret as the torrent of heat washes over the entirety of the room.

The gurney Gabriel was laying upon breaks apart, and as the explosion of steam subsides with his screams, the three hiding behind the desk slowly get up to reveal themselves. They are shocked to see the room had been decimated by the shockwave and the heat that had erupted from their lord.

They look at the center of the room and they see their lord and master bending knee, panting like he was a wild animal out of breath. Walter was the first to try and slowly approach their master. He was calm while doing so, but Tamura was visibly shaken and even afraid of her master right now. Something seemed off to her senses.

"Lord Gabriel? Might I help you up, sir?" Walter cordially said as he bent at the waist and lowered a hand to help Gabriel.

Just as he did, Tamura cried out.

"Walter! Get back!"

At the exact moment she cried out Gabriel lunged at Walter with what seemed full force. He barely avoided Gabriel's almost animalistic attack as he side-stepped to the left.

*CRASH!*

Gabriel destroys a cabinet with a single swing that arched to his left. The three NPCs look on as Gabriel slowly pulls himself out of the rubble that was a medical cabinet.

Walter and Tamura look on with a mixture of focus and worry on their faces while Dr. Althia Tanos looks on in horror and confusion. Without thinking she calls out to Gabriel.

"My Lord Gabriel, please! Be calm! Do you not recognize us?! We are your loyal…"

Tamura raises a hand in front of the angelic doctor to silence her as she continues to watch their master with keen eyes. Gabriel slowly looks in their direction as he turns around revealing his current state. He was almost feral in appearance baring his teeth and canines while panting heavily. Gabriel's most shocking feature was his eyes that looked almost completely scarlet red with blood flowing from the edges like tears.

"The Bloody Tears…" Tamura quietly says thinking she can't be heard.

"The Bloody Tears? What does that mean, Tamura?" The doctor inquires worriedly.

"I'll explain later. Now's not the time, but simply put, our lord is not in a state where words alone can reach." Tamura curtly replies, seemingly wanting to end the topic.

As they look upon him, Gabriel himself stands still gazing at them with cold, red bloody eyes. On Gabriel's end, he begins to think to himself as he gazes upon them, and although they can't see it, his mind and perception was distorted as his entire world was dyed scarlet.

 _'Ugh, my head throbs! Where am I? What is this place? Those people, who…?'_

His train of thought halts as he recognizes the forms that are moving and speaking in front of him.

' _Walter? Tamura? Althia? Are they talking? No, not possible. Have I lost my mind?! This is a nightmare! Everything hurts. Everything is red. Argh! The PAIN!'_

"ARAAGHAAAA! I WANTED TO DIE!"

Gabriel roars as his mind and body reels from the pain and confusion that assaults his senses. He launches like a bullet towards Walter. Without even saying a word to his lord Walter parries, blocks, and dodges every wild blow as a flurry of hand-to-hand strikes is used against him.

Althia and Tamura watch in horror and dismay at the sight as Althia continues to try and beckon for their lord to stop, with no answer to her pleas but violence. Tamura raises her staff to prepare to begin spell casting when Walter calmly calls out to her.

"Tamura, our lord is not himself right now. Avoid using any offensive spells until…" Just as Walter was about to finish that sentence, Gabriel's speed increases for a fraction of a second taking Walter by surprise.

In an almost simultaneous maneuver, Gabriel throws a kick into Walter's right knee disrupting his balance and causing pain, and then lunches an upward elbow strike into Walter's face, throwing him a foot into the air. Gabriel immediately follows up with a palm thrust forward into Walter's abdomen. The strike sends him flying into a wall with a shockwave that displaces the air around them. Walter braces for a follow-up attack when he notices Gabriel has stopped in his tracks and has his hands on his face. He could clearly hear him crying as he speaks.

"This isn't real. This…is a damned nightmare. Let me out. Let me out! LET ME FUCKING DIE!"

Gabriel lunged at Walter with that final sentence and just as the two were about to clash again a shadow flashes over Walter's vision and towards Gabriel. Gabriel is flung from mid-air, and lands 5 feet (152.4 cm) away from Walter.

A split second later those shadows flash across everyone's vision again, with the tip of a black and purple hilt-less katana like weapon approximately 48 inches (121.9 cm) in length burrowed in Gabriel's gut keeping him pinned to the floor. A 6 ft 3 in (191 cm) tall warrior in purple, black, and red armor is the one holding it with a black aura that seems to be made of the shadows themselves.

The armor looked like a polished chitin like material with hard edges, clawed gauntlets, and a full helm that covered the entire head. The armor looked more like a body contoured exoskeleton for a toned man than a conventional suit of armor. Instead of a slit for vision there were two eye holes that glowed with a purple light. Two more holes were on the sides that looked like exhaust ports as they ejected a steam from each side of the face. Seeming to recognize the new arrival, Tamura calls out to him.

"Charon?! What are you doing here?!"

In a calm and nonchalant manner, the new arrival replies with a distorted voice.

"Nice to see you again too, Tamura. My reason for being here can wait. First, we must subdue our master without killing him. Forgive me, my creator."

Just as the new arrival had said those words Gabriel grabs the blade in his gut with his bare hands. In his crazed state he seems to pay no heed to the cuts and lacerations the blade is inflicting on his hands as he grips the blade as it a machine. He then starts to lift it out of his gut with a roar that sends chills down the backs of everyone present. Charon notices that Gabriel was trying to redirect the blade into his own chest towards his heart. He wastes no time in a "tug of war" and instead opts to pulls the blade back completely and takes a few steps back to be by Walter's side.

"As expected of my creator. My strength cannot compare to yours, even in your current frenzy."

Charon looks at everyone else in the room and sees looks of disbelief and shock on their faces. He was curious to know the reason behind this behavior, but he knew very well that the task at hand had to be taken care of first. Just as his vision goes back to Gabriel, he sees the wounds inflicted begin to heal themselves at an accelerated rate. Unfazed his distorted voice calls out for support.

"Tamura, cast buffs on myself and Walter. We'll need them."

Snapping herself out of her shock, Tamura complies with the suggested course of action and begins casting her support spells in succession.

"[Reinforce Armor], [Shield Wall], [Greater Strength], [Greater Luck]!"

Just as she finishes her spell casting Gabriel launches forward with a punch. Charon turns his blade backwards to use the blunt side and swings it at an upward angle so that it knocks Gabriel's fist away in a shockwave. This unbalances him and creates a brief but nice opening for Walter as he thrusts a front kick forward into Gabriel's unguarded midsection. Simultaneously as he is flown back Tamura casts an attack spell.

[Triplet Maximize Magic: Call Greater Thunder]!

*CRASH!*BOOM!*

"GODDAMMIT! JUST KILL ME!" Gabriel roars in pain as the torrent of electrons paralyzes him and cooks his flesh.

Everyone present knew that without his items and gear magic based attacks would yield quicker results than a purely physical one. Not waiting for the first spell to end Tamura follows this up by slamming her staff into the floor and uses a special skill that was exclusive to her.

[Skill: Ballad of Morpheus]!

A dark grey mist envelopes the lightning covered Gabriel as a faint, flute like tune is heard in the air. The skill she used is a 10th tier leveled spell that forcibly induces a sleep penalty on a target unless they pass a certain level of mental and physical resistance checks. As both spells end in succession Gabriel falls to his knees with his flesh charred and breathing ragged. But something seemed amiss as the four NPCs present look upon him.

"No. That's impossible! It should have worked!" Tamura shouts as Gabriel is still very much awake.

He was just dazed and immobile from the previous onslaughts. Walter then sprints forward to in front of Gabriel with a speed that made it appear he had teleported. With the palm of his right hand he holds Gabriel's forehead and with his left hand's fingers extended, strikes the base of the back of his neck.

Walter is a high level [Ki Master], and thus can manipulate it in various ways, and in this case uses it to render Gabriel unconscious. At least that is what should have happened. Gabriel continues to thrash in his grip as Walter holds him in a head lock, but is visibly weakened with his movements like that of a drunkard. With Gabriel still screaming for death, Charon has an idea and then takes up a fighting stance with his sword.

"Walter, can you hold Lord Gabriel completely still?"

Walter looks at him for a moment with a puzzled look, but then seems to catch on to his intentions.

"Not on my own. Tamura, please cast the strongest binding spell you have in your arsenal."

While the doctor seemed dubious as to their intentions, Tamura seemed to pick up on it and cast another spell from her special skills tree as she slams the tip of her silver staff into the floor once more.

[Skill: Chains of Morpheus]!

At that instant chains of grey mist formed around Gabriel's body and then melded into him. His movements stopped, but not wanting to leave things to chance Walter also uses a special skill of his own.

[Skill: Palm of the Puppeteer]!

At that Gabriel's eyes glazed over and then his movements stopped completely. Then Charon moves his sword into a forward thrust just above Gabriel's heart and releases a black aura into him.

"I am sorry my creator, but I do this to help you as well as your Keep." There are hints of regret and sadness as he says those words.

From Gabriel's perspective, the attack released into him seemed to clear the fog of red from his vision. The pain subsided, and he could feel his heartbeat slowing down to a crawl. Internally he was smiling as he felt his life-force take a nose dive.

 _'Ah.~ Sweet release. Thank you, my odd delusions. You felt so real...'_

With that final thought Gabriel collapses to the floor and slips into unconsciousness.

Walter confirms that Gabriel is completely unconscious as he gently lays him on the floor as best he can. Charon releases his grip on his weapon and as he does so it disappears in a small portal that opens and closes in mere seconds. Tamura calmly walks to them while Dr. Tanos practically sprints to her master's side. She briefly examines him and notices that Gabriel's flesh was not healing. She then casts healing magicks on Gabriel as she speaks to Charon.

"That last attack that you used, it was infused with negative energy, wasn't it?" Her question was asked with her indignation clearly showing.

Charon pays it no heed as he responds calmly.

"Yes, that is correct. I realized that the master's life-force was overflowing and though I am unsure how it happened, I realized it was triggering the master's accelerated healing, as well as playing a part in his frenzy. Knowing this, I concluded that the only way to end out master's rampage was to inject a certain amount of negative energy into his body to interrupt that flow and by doing so long enough to render the master unconscious."

As Charon concluded his explanation the doctor stared daggers at him.

"Is that supposed to be a joke? 'Render him unconscious'? You stopped his heart for ten seconds!"

As the Head Doctor of the Keep, the very notion of deliberately stopping the heart of one of their High Lords was beyond repugnant to Althia Tanos. However, as cool as can be Charon replied without a hint of being intimidated.

"With all due respect doctor, it was either that, or letting the master continue as he was and running the risk of more harm coming to him, and possibly others in this Sanctuary. The master was injected with only enough negative energy to achieve the desired results. I also knew that my creator's nature as a Methuselah would save him. I trust your abilities as a doctor, Althia. All I ask is that you trust us to act in the master's best interest."

That last sentence seemed to get through to her as she lowered her head with a nod in the affirmative. Gabriel's external wounds were fully healed and the doctor wrapped him in a plain white sheet that she had pulled out from underneath her desk. Using a wand of some kind she had the destroyed gurney vanish in a flash of blue light, with another taking its place. She then carried Gabriel to it herself and laid him comfortably upon it. Afterward she turned her attention back to the three guardians in the room.

"So, it is unheard of for a High Lord like Lord Gabriel to be driven into a rampage like a vampire in blood frenzy. Would someone care to explain?" She spoke to them as a teacher scolding her students in class.

Although the three guardians before her technically outranked her, in matters of medicine and healing, the only ones that outranked her were their masters and creators. Tamura would be the one to explain the situation to the best of their knowledge.

The summary was such: the confirmed passing of the Lady Alisha, the meaning of the "Bloody Tears" being the demise of Gabriel's bond to Alisha, and these being the reasons behind Gabriel's suicide attempt and some of his outbursts. As she listened, Althia Tanos had a single tear run down her face from each eye as she struggled with her emotions.

"I see. Lady Alisha has fallen. Like Lord Dylan before her. I had suspected as much but did not want to believe it. *sighs tiredly* Do we know how our lady was lost?"

"No, I'm afraid we do not. I tried to find those answers in Lord Gabriel's mind by using my [Memory Magic], but his memories were so chaotic that it was nearly impossible to just confirm Lady Alisha's passing, let alone how it happened." Tamura says with a voice filled with sadness and regret.

"I see. *sighs* Questions for later then. I understand why you've kept all this quiet. As the top four minds in Dracon's Keep, we are able to handle this sudden string of events. The rest? I have my doubts. This isn't like the last time when the passing of Lord Dylan was announced. Back then, all the High Lords were still present. Now? They are out on missions and our Lord Gabriel has been laid so low. Lady Alisha is much loved, and if news of her passing were revealed without Lord Gabriel's stabilizing presence, then we risk the Keep tearing itself apart from grief alone. Have I missed anything?" As the Head Doctor finishes her summary and states her question, the other three shook their heads in unison in response.

"Now that we are on the same page, another problem needs to be addressed immediately. Namely, how do we reach our master through his grief and madness?" Charon says curtly.

They all lower their heads in deep thought pondering the difficulty of the situation. After a few seconds Dr. Tanos speaks again.

"Well, with the aid of the Chief Alchemist I may be able to concoct a potion that _should_ keep Lord Gabriel docile and calm long enough to see reason. But that will only work if we can figure out an approach that won't trigger another episode."

"What do you mean by that?" Charon asks in confusion.

"You weren't here for the start Charon, but as soon as Lord Gabriel saw us, he immediately became aggressive and attacked. This was immediately preceded by our lord violently waking up from what we can only presume to be a nightmare." Walter said with his right index finger pointed up to indicate that there was more to say.

"Although this is only mere conjecture on my part, I theorize that due to the trauma suffered from having his bond with Lady Alisha being cut, it had left him extremely hyper-sensitive to _anything_ that reminds him of his beloved wife and bondmate. Since Tamura and I are her personal creations, we were the embodiment of his loss and sorrows." Walter lowered his hands behind his back to indicate he had concluded his explanation.

Althia Tanos cocked her eyebrow as a question formed on her lips.

"You know I have been wondering, how is it you two know so much about this "bonding" between Lord Gabriel and Lady Alisha? I am the Head Doctor and yet this is the first I am hearing about it."

Tamura responds to her question with a twitch.

"Our lady-creator often spoke about it at length when she was alone with us. She worked on many projects inside the master's Keep, and in particular she would confide in us her fears of what would happen to Lord Gabriel if she…" Her voice trails off as Tamura lowers her head with a single tear running down her left cheek. She wipes it away as she raises her head to continue the explanation.

"To answer your question doctor, due to their secretive nature, the lord and lady shared these details with only a select few of the other High Lords of the Keep. If you did not know about it, then that means your creator wasn't among those informed."

Understanding dawned on Althia as Tamura finished her explanation. As she was about to apologize to her, a figurative light bulb went off above her head.

"Oh! That's it!"

With a collective "Huh?!", the three guardians looked at the angelic doctor in confusion at her outburst. Taking that as a cue to explain she speaks.

"To reach our lord, we must utilize the services of an NPC he is not familiar with, and in an environment he is also not familiar with. Doing so will allow us to ensure he will remain calm long enough for us to reach him!"

The angelic doctor said this with almost uncharacteristic excitement as her wings flapped at the thought of helping her master and patient. Her demeanor could be described as, "giddy as a schoolgirl." The other guardians seemed unconvinced as Charon speaks up.

"My apologies doctor, but what do you base this on?"

Her giddy demeanor vanishes like it was an illusion, shocking those present by the sudden change as she returns to a stern and focused mode of behavior.

"Tamura said before that the High Lords kept many secrets, and that works both ways. In particular, can any of you recall a time that Lord Gabriel had ever toured the Sanctuary?"

The guardians looked at each other as understanding dawned on them.

"Exactly. Other than myself, he would most likely be unfamiliar with the lower leveled NPCs here and thus lessens the chances of a negative reaction. As my creator would say, if we 'play our cards right', he would react in a normal manner one would expect from encountering a total stranger, and thus guide him back to us."

The guardians nodded in approval over the logic of the plan as Walter speaks up.

"Then that just leaves the necessary details. I feel doing this here would be a mistake, so when Lord Gabriel wakes, it should be somewhere that won't trigger any familiar, disturbing, or old memories."

He pauses for a moment in consideration.

"Although it might seem disrespectful to your creator doctor, I suggest using his room for this, as he seemed the least likely to show others his living quarters. I base this on all the meetings of the High Lords that Tamura and I had attended in the past."

The doctor winced at the suggestion, but after a moment of internal struggle she nodded in approval.

She then closes her eyes and thinks to herself, almost as if she were in prayer.

 _'I apologize for the intrusion in your quarters my creator, but you taught us all that the patient comes first. By your teachings, I shall do whatever I must to help your comrade and our mutual master Lord Gabriel.'_

"Then all that remains, is to choose a lower leveled NPC from within the Sanctuary to handle this task. Do you have any suggestions doctor?~" Tamura asks in a hopeful tone.

"Well, I do have a few ideas in…" Just as she was responding they all hear shouting outside the white marble doors to the treatment room.

"Alright! I've had enough! Let me in there you shiny hood ornaments! Our master needs us and I refuse to stay idle any longer!" It was a female voice around 20 years of age or so that was beautiful but crass and forceful.

The doctor and the guardians were quite stunned by the sudden outbursts, but then Tamura started to smile mischievously at the unexpected event. She pulled out two scrolls and with a single motion activated the spells within.

[Clairvoyance], [Crystal Monitor]!

The magic image appeared to their front and revealed a level-5 human nurse with white hair giving the elven knights guarding the operating room a vicious verbal lashing.

"Well? You can't be deaf with those pointy ears of yours, or maybe those helms are on your heads a little too tight. LET ME IN YOU SHINY METAL FUCKERS!"

While the elven knights were standing still, they were nonetheless stunned by the nurse's forceful and crass behavior that contradicted her beautiful appearance. So stunned they were that they actually forgot to respond. Then a low and gentle female voice chimed in behind her.

"Um, Addy?~ Maybe you shouldn't antagonize the knights? They're a little…~"

"Oh, shut it Mimi. I'm soooooo done waiting! I know in my bones that our lord needs help and I'll be damned if I'll let a couple of tin men stop me!" She curtly replies to the quivering voice behind her that responded with an "Eek!" at her rebuttal.

Back in the operating room, Tamura is grinning ear to ear at the sight.

"Whelp!~ I do believe we have found a volunteer. Any objections?"

Walter and Charon shake their heads as they both gawk at the scene displayed on the [Crystal Monitor], while the Head Doctor smiles like a proud mother watching her daughter come into her own.

*Ahem* "If we're all agreed I'll leave you to it Tamura. I'll take the doctor to the Chief Alchemist so the necessary potion is created for the plan." Walter says.

"Walter. Tamura. When the two of you have completed your tasks, come find me in the observation deck. We need to speak of the matter I originally came here for. It is of great importance to the Keep as a whole." Without even waiting for their reply Charon disappears in a flash of shadows.

*sighs* "Am I the only one who hates it when he does that?~" Tamura says after Charon's departure.

Walter chuckles slightly as if finding it amusing. He then latches onto the doctor with his right hand, and using the power of his guild ring disappears in a flash of blue light. Tamura is left alone in the operating room and pouts to herself.

"Oh, very funny Walter. I'll get you back for that. It's a promise.~"

She smiles as she dispels [Crystal Monitor] with a wave and uses the [Message] spell to inform the guards to let only the nurse Addison-Rei into the operating room.

"Finally!"

Tamura hears on the other side of the doors, and she had to admit that it brought a smile to her face. The marble doors open slightly and the nurse walks in and for a moment is shocked to come face to face with the smiling Vice-Commander of all the NPCs of the Keep. She quickly bows to her superior, red-faced and flustered at the unexpected meeting.

 _'Oh, no. I hope she isn't going to scold me for my actions just now. But still, anything for Lord Gabriel!'_

She takes a breath as she straightens herself up from her bow and puts on her "brave face". Tamura smiles and chuckles at the nurse's apprehension and decides to put her at ease.

"You can relax nurse Addison-Rei. You are here because I need your help in Lord Gabriel's recovery." After she says that the nurse visibly relaxes and her eyes burn with determination knowing that a high ranking figure like Tamura deemed her worthy of assisting in their master's recovery.

"Yes!~ I will do whatever it takes to help in Lord Gabriel's recovery!" She says immediately filling the room with her determination.

Tamura continues to smile at the nurse, but the nature of the smile changed from amused, to warm and grateful. She taps her staff into the floor and a couple of chairs materialize next to Gabriel.

"Please take a seat Addison-Rei. We have much to discuss and if my senses are correct, we have very little time."

As they take their seats, Addison-Rei could not take her eyes off of her lord's half-naked form as a wave of different feelings rose up from within her. The prominent one was sadness at seeing their master in such a state, and it only solidified her resolve to help. Just as she turned to her left to speak, Tamura started to cast a wide array of mental and physical fortification buffs on Addison.

The power surged through her being, filling her with strength that she had never known before. Her heart pounded from the rush of magical energy filling her body, and after Tamura completed her preparations she spoke to Addison-Rei in a serious and urgent tone.

"Addison, what I am about to tell you does not leave this room. If need be you shall be dealt with as a traitor if a word of this discussion leaks. Understood?"

The nurse audibly gulps from the declaration, but stands firm.

"I understand Vice-Commander. Anything for our Lord Gabriel!"

Then something happens that takes her by surprise. Tamura gently places a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you Addison. Now, while we are speaking alone you may address me informally as 'Tamura'. And don't refuse, for we simply don't have the time to waste."

Without any other recourse she nods in acknowledgement.

Tamura then proceeds to tell the nurse everything that had transpired with Gabriel and Alisha within the Keep. Even with the buffs Addison-Rei was filled with incomparable sorrow and her tears were flowing freely, but she powers on through, knowing just how serious the situation was. She thinks to herself during the whole conversation.

 _'I knew about Lord Gabriel's condition and how it happened, but Lady Alisha?! O' creators this is heartbreaking!'_ She finishes this thought as she wipes the tears from her face and Tamura concludes the summary of recent events.

"…and so this is the plan Addison: you shall stay by Lord Gabriel's side in Lord Joseph's bed chambers. When he regains consciousness you must convincingly act that you don't know him, feign ignorance on _anything_ to do with Yggdrasil, the Keep, and the master's guild. You are there to calm, console, comfort, and council. We must bring our Lord Gabriel back from the pit of grief and madness. Until the remaining High Lords return to us, consider that failure is not an option."

Addison-Rei's face fills with a focus and determination that could impress even a hardened veteran of war as she stands and bows to Tamura.

"I understand Vice-Com…I mean Tamura. No matter what it takes I shall bring our lord back to us."

Tamura stands and places a hand on the nurse's shoulder and smiles.

"I know you will. Now, take Lord Gabriel's hand. I shall teleport us there now."

The nurse's face reddens as she is given her instructions. She looks down and gently takes his left hand with her right.

 _'Lord Gabriel's hand is…so very warm.'_

Their surroundings change in a flash of blue light as they are teleported into a bedroom that looks more like a contemporary high class room back on Earth. Of course, being NPCs they did not know this. In their eyes they saw a well furnished and luxurious room that truly illustrated the status of "High Lord" to them.

It had bright sky blue walls, with low, but warm white neon lighting, a king sized bed with silver and black silk sheets, and a crystal clear and lightly lit fish tank built into the walls that spanned half the room. Green potted plants that gave the air a clean and sweet smell were in the corners of the room, with a ceiling fan that was creating a cool breeze in the room. Everything was clean and polished and even the cabinets seemed to shine with a gloss.

"Wow. So this is my creator's bedroom. Incredible." Addison remarked.

"Indeed it is." Tamura said as she looked around the room.

She then saw a clear potion bottle with an orange liquid on the left nightstand along with a note. She picked up the note and read it. It was brief, and simply stated that the potion should act as intended, and to remind her that she should immediately go to the observation deck when she is able.

 _'Hm. I am beginning to wonder what is so important that we have to go there. First things first.'_

"Now, I need you to change clothes in that closet over there. You can't be in that nurse's uniform when Lord Gabriel wakes up. Be sure to feed him this potion before he does. Oh, and remember when you are acting, refer to him by name only. No honorifics."

Addison turned red-face for a moment upon hearing that but returned to normal when she remembered the whole reason they were doing this.

"Of course, Tamura. I understand completely." With that she hurriedly goes to the closet to change.

Tamura thinks to herself as she does so.

 _'Quite the intelligent girl that Lord Joseph had created. Thankfully most of the nurses are like that, otherwise this would have been even more difficult.'_

She broke from her thoughts as she finds herself leaning over the face of Gabriel. She strokes his sleeping face with her left hand as a single tear falls from her face onto his.

"Oh, mother. Please, let this work. I cannot bear the thought of turning my power against your beloved a second time." She kisses him on the forehead and then disappears in a blue light.

She reappears seconds later in the observation deck and sees both Walter and Charon staring out the front of the clear dome. She walks over to them slightly annoyed at being the last one to arrive.

"Alright you two.~ Care to explain the importance of taking in the scenery?"

They don't say a word and turn around and give Tamura enough room to gaze out into the horizon of the mountain range. Using hand gestures Walter beckons her to come and take a look. Unsure as to what they were up to, and getting slightly annoyed at the whole exercise she complies. After a few moments of looking out she begins to hyperventilate, with panic clearly evident on her face.

"Wha…what the hell is THIS?!" Tamura shouts as she gazes out at an unfamiliar mountain range.

"The reason for my seeking you two out in the infirmary." Charon says plainly as jets of steam are ejected from the exhaust ports on his exoskeletal helm.

"I cleared the observatory and locked it down to ensure that only we three could enter. I used it to confirm that the star constellations and surrounding areas do not conform to any realm found in YGGDRASIL, which means only one thing…"

"…the Keep has been transported to an entirely new and different world, correct?" Walter says having already put the pieces together, and Charon responds with a simple nod.

While the duo seemed the picture of calm, Tamura was anything but as her body shook and she gritted her teeth. Noticing this Walter placed his left hand on her right shoulder. That seemed to snap her out of it as she traded knowing looks with him and calmed herself down.

*sighs* "Thank you, Walter. I don't think there is a single word to adequately describe how grave the situation has now become."

"Indeed my dear. If none of the other High Lords had been transported here with Lord Gabriel, then that means..."

"… Lord Gabriel could very well be the last." Charon says finishing Walter's sentence.

Tamura closes her eyes as she tightly grips her staff in both of her hands.

"Now more than ever, we cannot fail our master." She says as she opens her eyes and sees the two next to her nod in agreement.

* * *

Approximately 30 miles (48.3 km) in the north from Dracon's Keep in the same mountain range there was an enormous palace that looked like it had been carved into the very mountain itself. It was smooth and polished, yet felt old somehow. Flying in formations and in regular intervals were small groups of about 2 or 3 drakes with human riders on top with saddle and harness. Drakes were the unintelligent cousins to dragons which could grow to be twice the size of even the largest horse with a wingspan that corresponded to that size.

Although they were powerful flying mounts they were notorious for being wild and nigh uncontrollable. However, in the Land of the Drake Riders, this was no longer an issue and they had long ago learned how to tame the wild drakes that roamed the mountains.

Founded by a pair of dragons, the Land of the Drake Riders had, for the past two hundred years, literally carved out a kingdom for themselves in the mountain ranges that border the Baharuth Empire in the North and the Dragonic Kingdom to the South. They were isolationist in their political affairs and practiced a policy of, "don't bother us, and we won't bother you".

A pair of human drake riders is seen guiding their mounts. A man and a woman dressed in black and brown lacquer and leather light armor, with full helms made of the same material. They have their drake mounts fly onto a landing platform next to the front entrance of the enormous mountainside palace that overlooked a walled mountain city of approximately 100,000 people.

Construction was primarily stone, brick, and granite as they saw the people below going about their daily lives. After taking in the sight for a moment they walked to the front entrance of the palace. The guards that were in grey and brown medium armor, and armed with sword and shield in hand had recognized them instantly and had signaled with a series of knocks that seemed to be a code of some sort.

The massive doors opened for them and they walked in. As they did the sight could inspire awe from commoners as the massive hall could easily fit an adult dragon's size with easily 10 meters to spare in any direction. At least a dozen support columns lined the hall on both the right and left sides of the hall, with each column having a magic lantern casting [Continual Light] magic.

The floor looked like polished obsidian that gave one a dull reflection. There were no guards in the massive hall; save for those six behind the massive 25 meter (82 ft) tall double doors that could only be opened with the magic items in each of the guard's possession, or comparable strength of an adult dragon. As the man and woman slowly walk down the hall towards another set of massive double doors they quietly speak among themselves to ensure their voices don't echo too loudly along with their footsteps.

"Is this wise, Gatoh?" The female drake rider says.

"No, but we have little choice Relina. We must report this immediately, or otherwise we could be killed for failing to do so. You know how unpredictable the queen is." The male says.

"Feh. 'Queen'? More like a…" Before she can finish the man immediately grabs her head with both his hands to silence her.

He speaks next to her ear with a low but urgent tone.

"Don't say it. Don't even think it! I shouldn't have to remind you what happens to anyone that goes against her!"

The woman named Relina loses strength in her body as recollection flashes seems to flash in her mind and relents. The man named Gatoh releases his grip as he gently places his left hand on her right shoulder. She reaches over with her left hand and grips his as the air around them softens.

"Forgive me husband." She simply says.

*sighs* "Come on. We need to deliver the report."

They walk in silence and a few minutes later they reach the last set of massive doors that leads into the throne room. Gatoh walks forward and knocks with a similar rhythmic code as the front guards and then steps back. A few seconds later the massive doors open and had revealed an equally massive circular room with the same type of support columns and magic lamps.

They both walk in and pass a set of Iron Golems that had opened and were now in the process of closing the doors. As they continue a massive throne of marble, gold, silver, and platinum is seen in the center of the circular throne room that was 30 meters (98 ft 5 in) in diameter with a ceiling that was 20 meters (65 ft 7 in) in height.

The throne itself was 5 meters (16 ½ ft) in height and 3 meters (9 ft 10 in) in width, and laying lazily upon the throne was a being that could not easily be identified or classified.

It was 8 ½ feet (2.6 meters) tall with the shapely body of a humanoid female and was clothed in a very luxurious one piece white dress. It had the head, tail, clawed hands, and feet of a female lizardman with deep black scales that glowed a feint purple aura, black dreadlocks that reached down the middle of its back that resembled an oily organic tar, and had grey and purple eyes.

The creature lazily turned to look at the new arrivals with a gaze that would be akin to that of a predator sizing up its prey. Seeming to recognize the two humans it lays on its side with it head held up in its right arm. If the creature were human the pose might have been considered a bit seductive in nature. Its tail flapped up and down slowly as she addressed the now kneeling humans. The voice sounded otherworldly as it echoed with what sounded like two female voices overlapping.

"Ah~. Gatoh and Relina. Welcome.~ Please, remove your helms. Let me see your faces.~"

They comply and reveal their features. They had a healthy and bright skin complexion with Gatoh having shortcut red hair and blue eyes, and Relina having neck length brown hair and blue eyes.

They were maintaining blank and neutral facial expressions while gazing at their unnatural looking ruler, but their bodies were tense and stiff. The subtle body language communicated one very simple emotion: fear. The creature for its part seemed amused as its facial expression contorted into what could be considered a smile.

"You may stand you two.~ Tell me, what brings such beautiful children before me?~" The tip of the creature's tongue glides from one side to the other of its reptilian lips as that statement is made.

As the two stand up straight and place their hands behind their backs, a cold shiver is felt going down their spines at the creature's action. They power through and Gatoh begins to speak in a very formal tone.

"Our sincere apologies for disturbing you, your majesty. I bring a report from the border patrol that is of great importance."

"Oh, my.~ Such seriousness. An attractive trait in a man.~"

As the creature says this its left hand glides over the contours of its body in what could have been considered in an alluring manner. However, it sends chills down his spine, while his wife and comrade Relina burned with quiet anger and disgust. On the throne the creature which was most obviously their queen chuckled.

"Don't be so tense dear.~ A handsome specimen like you could never disturb me.~ *sighs contentedly* Hmm. Now tell me, what report have you?~"

"Yes! As our air unit was patrolling the southern mountains we came across a fantastic event. A tempest of high winds and lightning had appeared out of nowhere that had swirled around the tallest of the mountain peaks."

As he was about to continue he briefly paused when his queen had moved her left hand from her waist to the front of her face. She used the claw on her thumb to clean the claw on her middle finger, seeming to be losing interest in his report. When Gatoh realized this fear stuck his heart like a knife as he hurriedly continued his report.

"Once the tempest of wind and lightning had died down it revealed a large castle complex at the very top of said peak with shining towers made of blue metal and glass."

The instant he finished that last sentence his queen immediately stopped moving and was so still she was like a living statue. After a few moments had passed she smirked. The action, while subtle, made the two before tense up as sweat started to drench their backs.

"Now that is very interesting.~ *chuckles*"

She returns her left hand to her waist as her tail started to move faster as if in excitement.

"Captain, you and your dear wife have now just earned yourselves some promotions. Congratulations. Welcome to the Royal Air Guard.~"

The two before her were dumb struck and wide eyed unable to process what had been uttered. Their queen then reached into one of the sides of the throne, pulled out two drake shaped adamantite badges, and lazily threw them to Relina and Gatoh who instantly caught them.

"Tomorrow you two shall take an expedition with the rest of the Royal Air Guard to investigate and invade this castle. Any questions?~" She says seemingly bored with her own words.

Gatoh was unable to parse any words at what had transpired, but his wife was losing patience and decided to take the opportunity to speak.

"Y…your majesty! If I may ask, do you know what this mysterious castle is?"

The queen yawns exaggeratedly before answering.

"No, not at all. I might as well tell you two since you are here, but I've decided to expand the borders of this nation, and was deciding on what our first target was going to be when you two showed up. I'd say a mysterious castle appearing so close to our borders would make a worthy first target, wouldn't you?~" The queen completes that last sentence in a flighty tone.

"B…but your majesty…" Relina tried to speak but was waved off by the queen to be silent.

"If there are no other questions you two are dismissed. You may take the rest of the day off. Report to the expedition noon tomorrow. I expect word of your success to reach my ears. That will be all.~"

Gatoh placed his hand on Relina's shoulder and pulled back slightly to signal her that it was time to go. Understanding the gesture she relented and they both took a bow and spoke in unison.

"As you command your majesty!"

Putting their helms back on they turned a full 180 degrees in one swift motion and promptly left the throne room.

The queen stood up from the throne and stretched and yawned like she had woken up from a nap. The dreadlocks on her head started to emit a cold mist that left chilled the surrounding air instantly. She grinned and walked behind the throne towards a shining crystal ball embedded in its back.

Grabbing and twisting it in various directions like a combination lock had activated a magic within and in a flash of yellow light she disappeared in a teleportation spell. The queen reappears in a cavern in a hollowed out mountain and as she walked down a path a sadistic grin escapes her lips.

"I wonder how my delicious pet is behaving today.~"

After a few minutes of walking, another cavern twice as large as the first comes into view. It was blanketed in a thick layer of steam, and as one approached closer a clear image of the scene could be seen; a fully grown, male adult frost dragon chained and collared and half submerged in a natural hot spring.

Surrounding the dragon was approximately two dozen naked human women between the ages of 19 and 24 that were busy bathing and scrubbing its shining blue and white scales. The dragon looked weak and lethargic as it let out low and weak guttural growls.

It opened its eyes slightly and saw the queen in its line of slight. The instant it did life seemed to reignite in its body as it tried to lash out. Before the weakened frost dragon could get even a single inch towards its target the collar emits a black lightning that fills its body with pain and cows it back into submission.

The queen smiles at the sight and as she licks her teeth she claps her hands twice and within a few moments four nearby women help her disrobe. Afterward she claps five times and all the women cease their duties and exit the cavern leaving the queen and frost dragon alone. She walks toward the dragon until she was within 2 feet (61 cm) of his snout and then addresses him in a friendly and lustful tone.

"Hello my love.~ I trust you are well.~"

The dragon grits its razor sharp teeth as anger and hatred burns in its eyes.

"Monster, I am NOT your love!" Its roar shakes the whole cavern as it responds to the queen.

"Oh, of course I do.~ I would not have kept you as my concubine if I didn't. The only reason you're here is because you can't seem to behave.~ Its been over two years. Can't you just submit your will like a good boy?~"

"Burn WITCH! You took my kingdom! Murdered my wife, my children, and MY concubines! Whether it's in this life or the next, I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" The dragon's roar filled with rage and hate shook the cavern even more violently than before.

At this provocation the queen grinned evilly.

"Oh, my dear, has your time here soaking in your hot bath dulled your mind?~ I didn't just kill them, I devoured them.~" She licks her teeth after saying this.

"Shall I describe how they felt as I chomped and rend their flesh?~" Her obvious taunt worked like magic as he thrashed and clawed at his restraints.

His pain, sorrow, hate, love for the lost, and desire for revenge all mixed in his body and soul as he roared. The black scaled queen seemed to derive some sick pleasure from this as her body quivered from every roar.

"Oh, that's it! More! Let me feel your hate even more!"

The dragon then suddenly stopped after realizing that it was not only no use, but he was giving his jailer and usurper exactly what she wanted. And so he restrained himself and just stared with hate still boiling in his eyes. Seemingly disappointed the "queen" spoke.

"Aww.~ All done? No matter. I am more than willing to skip the foreplay. And just so we're clear, you still have six of your children alive and well and in my service. Refuse to cooperate however and that can change. Now tell me, what do you know about a mountaintop castle to the south of here?"

The dragon looks at the object of his hatred with confusion, and saw that her smirk of superiority was gone and she was focused and serious.

"Of what do you speak witch?"

*sighs* "Really now? Shall we really play this game? Very well then, I shall humor you."

The queen then proceeds to repeat the contents of the report she had received earlier to the bound frost dragon. After she was finished, the dragon seemed to be intrigued as well and sank in thought.

' _Hmm. A wild story indeed, but something about it seems familiar. Where was it now? My father perhaps?'_

As the frost dragon continued to think, a spark of recollection flashed in his mind as he masterfully contained himself so as not to arouse suspicion, or anything else for that matter, within his enemy.

 _'That's it! My father! He was there when the castle of the Eight Kings of Greed descended upon the world. His description and this witch's are almost EXACTLY the same! So it's true?! It's happening again?! If so, and if this arrogant witch actually sent a force there, then my nation, my life, and perhaps the world may suffer for it, but as long as she dies…'_

"You waste my time with stories, witch. Begone! And leave me to my misery in peace."

The queen cocks her head in surprise, but seems to lose interest as she speaks.

"Ah~ah. How very disappointing, but you can still make it up to me.~"

With a wave of her hand the frost dragon is brought low by the pain in his collar, and like a puppeteer she uses hand gestures to force the dragon on his back. Severely weakened the dragon no longer puts up a fight. The queen climbs on top of him, lustfully gliding her tongue over his shining scales.

 _'To be violated again by this repugnant, unknown creature, it is more than I can bear, but if my hunch is right this might be the last time. I just need to stall her before she can use me again. I am so loathe to do this, but it must be done.'_

"Bwynleah Veinun…"

She stops pleasuring herself on him when she hears her name spoken.

"Hoh~? I do believe this is the first time you have ever used my name, Rahkar Ailouros."

' _She took the bait? Then I can't waste this chance. If I am to die, then at the very least, I must have answers!'_

"Tell me, what are you? You're no demon, and you're definitely no mutation of the lizardman race. Your strength and appearance, it is unlike anything I have seen in my 300 years of life."

The "queen" was stunned for a moment. The dragon named Rahkar was actually showing some interest in her, and her tail flapped wildly as she responded.

"Oh, my.~ You're full of surprises darling. Very well. Since you're being such a good boy I'll tell you what you wish to know. To begin with, you are very correct. I am unlike anything in this world, because I am not OF this world."

Rahkar was stunned by such a declaration but said nothing. The whole point was to get HER talking, and not the other way around.

"He he.~ It seems I have your undivided attention. Well then, where to start?~ Ah! Well my kind exists outside the normal confines of this and other worlds. The race to which I belong is what ancient civilizations in the past have called 'The Godkins of Chaos, the Yogg', on the account of us being immortal and all.~"

Despite being held in a hot spring Rahkar could feel a cold chill run down his spine to the tip of his tail. He could tell that it was no idle boast. Every word she had said was the truth. And there were other worlds? Were they like this one? Before he could form a coherent thought she started to laugh.

"What's with that look? Is it that shocking? Oh! I haven't finished talking about myself have I? It would be rude not to finish.~ I am immortal because any race that tries to deal me a killing blow ends up becoming the vessel for my essence and my soul. Thus we cannot die. In ages past, when wars were fought to defend against us every time one of my kind were slain chaos ensued because we could revive again and again in the bodies of those foolish enough to stand against us, hence the name."

Before she had hardly said more than a few sentences to him, but now Rahkar was wishing she would be silent. So overwhelming this new information was that he wish he never encouraged it.

"Oh! And this form you see now? It was originally a pretty white lizardman war wizard. Quite a strong one too, since she was capable of the 6th tier of magic. I liked her power and I LET her strike a fatal blow. Ha ha ha ha! Can you imagine her shock?! She kills my old body only to find my tendrils and blood devouring her from the inside out! Ha ha ha ha! No matter how many times I do that it feels great to experience that fear and despair! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

Her demented laugh filled the cavern as Rahkar's heart sank. Was his one last great hope for nothing? Was he doomed to live out his ageless life as the sex toy of a creature that proclaimed itself a Godkin of Chaos? Just as his head started to spin from the implications, he felt the familiar and disgusting sensation of a tongue trailing down to his nethers.

"Oh! One other thing before we begin. I didn't devour your fellow dragonkins just for food and the pleasure of it, even though that was nice by itself. My kind consumes life itself and we grow stronger from it. The stronger the opponent we vanquish and devour, the stronger we become. We consume EVERYTHING from our prey, their strength, abilities, and sometimes even on a few rare occasions' memories and emotions. Pay attention to this last part. It has to do with you after all.~ When I consumed your wife and concubines, their feelings for you were so strong that I inherited them. He he he. Ha ha ha ha ha! The irony! You would be dead like them if it weren't for their feelings for you! Ha ha ha ha ha! Think on that while I take you for all of eternity!~"

Rahkar couldn't take it anymore. His last hopes, his last memories of his loved ones, and his very being had now been violated completely, and just as this evil witch, this "Yogg" was taking him again his spirit completely broke.

"ARGAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

* * *

 ***A/N: Yeah, I know what you're thinking. Things are looking kinda shitty for everyone right now. Just hang tight because there is more to come! ;) Now, as promised, here are the review replies. They'll be listed in order from first to latest, and to avoid confusion they'll be dated for easy reference. Also, if you've been enjoying my work be sure to either fav' or follow for future updates. Speaking of updates, I normally update my "Bio" page to inform everyone of the status of various goings on that can affect releases. I hope that helps. Enjoy! :D***

 **pta917-8/13/17** **: Thank you! I wanted to do something a bit different from what is normally done in these stories. All other questions will be answered in time and additional chapters. ;)**

 **I** **nternalFire** **-8/13/17 : Glad you liked the writing! Like I said I wanted to do something a bit different and wanted to make things interesting. There are twists and turns coming, so like I said in the review page, future chapters will address those concerns of yours. I'm aware that normally humanoid races don't have racial levels. I already explained the reason why Gabriel does in the story, but it seems you either missed that part or simply didn't pay attention. ;) Anywho, thank's very much for your words of encouragement. There'll be more to come!**

 **No1Gamer89** **-8/13/17 : Glad you liked the beginning! Yeah, the feels hit me too, and I'm the one who wrote it! :P Heh. Yeah, maybe the "Drama" tag spoiled things a bit. Oh, well. Lesson learned. ;) You're right, her final words were a bit clichéd, but I think of it like this; when you've mere minutes left to live, are you going to waste valuable time and mental energy in poetic sounding words, or are you going to get your point across ASAP before you croak? ;) Glad you are excited for more, and I can promise you that there is more in store. ;)**

 **rabbitxalien** **-8/13/17 : You're closer to the truth than you realize! ;)**

 **UndeadLord22** **-8/14/17 : Thank you! The intensity was all part of the plan. ;) Like I said in the preamble to chapter 3, yes Ainz will make an appearance down the road. :) Stick around! The best is yet to come!**

 **levelgap** **-8/15/17 : Was so impressed with review I responded via PM. Short version: The first setting being on Earth is rarely done so that's why I did it. Don't expect the killer to make too many appearances for now. Yes, Jon is alive. Gabriel's got a long journey ahead of him. The whys will be sorted out later, and the feels were part of the point. OCs are a dime a dozen and something was needed to get the reader to care, and to have the story unfold as intended. ;)**

 **Leina Rockbruise** **-8/15/17 : First, love the name. ;) I hear ya' on the whole "OC" thing, but it was necessary for the story to unfold the way I intend. Don't worry, though! Overlord's characters will show up in the future! ;) And thank you!**

 **Guest0** **-8/15/17 : I'm glad I subverted your expectations. I guess that means I'm doing my job! ;)**

 **FumeKnight** **-8/15/17 : Responded via PM. The short version: Thank you very much! And it is only beginning so most concerns will be addressed. Also, main OC was intended to be someone worldly and experienced. In short, the opposite and equal to Ainz in more ways than one. ;)**

 **XXX1994** **-8/16/17 : Glad you like it! And there is more to the alternate original world than what has been revealed so feel free to stick around. ;) Yeah, it was a sad end. No lie, I kind of teared up writing that. Sad or touching? You decide! ;) And yes, losing someone after a bond of over 200 years is not something that will be easy to recover from. Gabriel's mental state going forward will be, dubious to say the very least. ;)**

 **Chamaeleonx** **-8/20/17 : Responded via PM. Short version: Scenes weren't THAT raunchy. :P I'm glad I wrote something that appealed to you outside your normal tastes. Mission success! The name was a placeholder, but forgot to change before release. Oh, well! Too late. :P As for my own personal opinions on my writing I subscribe to the old saying, "Be ever so humble!" ;) And yes I am paraphrasing. :P**


	4. Chapter 4-Intermission in the Old World

***Yo! Thanks a million for the reviews and words of support! As usual stick around after the end for review replies and news. So without further ado, let's get this rolling!***

* * *

 **Chapter 4-Intermission in the Old World**

 **Earth, 2136, Unknown city**

The time is now midnight as the completely cloudy night sky seems to embrace a shining skyscraper of a 1,000 feet (304.8 meters) in height in a bustling metropolis. The top floor of said skyscraper had windows of a darkened obsidian like material that denied any form of light entry. The design of the top seemed to blend into the roof of the tower of glass and steel giving the impression of a deliberate design choice to mark the end of the tower's assent into the heavens. The inside of this floor seemed more akin to a museum with artwork, statues, furniture, and weapons from various cultures and time periods from Earth's history.

Floor was laid with an immaculate carpet of velvet red that made one think that they had just stepped on a cloud with how light and soft it was. Inside this beautiful room where the ancient and the modern met were two figures. The first was kneeling on one knee wearing black tactical gear that looked highly advanced but had clearly seen action recently with it covered in layers of dust and dried blood. The helmet also looked advanced and had two eye pieces that glowed a crimson red.

The second was standing in front of the first, which was clearly prostrating to the one standing. It was a man of about 6 feet (183 cm) with a lean and toned body type dressed in expensive, albeit old style formal wear that easily looked like it was from the Roman era. It was lined with platinum and was a dark blue color.

The man himself had a bald head, red eyes, slightly pointed ears, grey colored skin, and a pair of canines that were ever so slightly protruding from his closed mouth. This was a living vampire, and one that was obviously quite old and commanded authority just from looking at his confident and upright posture. He speaks to the one kneeing with a commanding, but soft tone of voice that indicated respect is held for the other party.

"You may raise your head, young one. No need to stand completely on ceremony."

"Thank you, my Lord Sevso." The kneeling subordinate said with a distorted voice as the concealed head rose to look up.

"Now then, I have received your initial report from your last mission. Although your secondary objective was not completed, the primary was completed flawlessly and you were able to leave the scene without leaving a trace of your presence, despite some complications." The living vampire said with a warm smile that disarmed any caution one might have had.

"Thank you for your kind words, my lord."

The "Roman" vampire chuckled slightly at the response he received. "You are very welcome young one, and for the remainder of this meeting you may refer to me simply as, 'sir'. Now tell me, how is the new gear now that you have had a chance to put it through an ordeal?"

"This new gear is of excellent quality, sir. Even after all it has been through it is still in fantastic shape and performed flawlessly." The distorted voice said in admiration.

"Yes, you are very fortunate young one. The equipment you now bear uses the very latest in technology and is further enhanced with powerful blood magic. It is one in only a few dozen prototypes currently being used by the Hierarchy."

"I am grateful, sir. If not for this gear and weapons, I am certain I would have fallen to that lycanthrope." The distorted voice said with hate and anger very clearly present.

"Yes, it was unfortunate it showed up before you could complete your secondary objective. Still, I am curious. Your initial field report did not mention the final fate of the werewolf you encountered."

"My apologies, sir, but I was pressed for time when I filed my initial report. Sadly, I must inform you that the werewolf survived the fall after it had tackled me out of the building and out into the open. My cloaking mechanism was damaged during the battle, forcing me to abandon the remainder of the mission." The distorted voice said with disappointment.

"Oh, do not worry. It is quite alright. Even the best of plans often do not survive contact with the field of battle. I, Quintus Salvius Sevso, have had to learn that lesson personally." The vampire chuckles as if it had remembered something amusing. Although the face couldn't be seen, the kneeling one indicated a question was coming.

"Pardon me for questioning, sir, but is it truly fine to leave that human be?" The distorted voice says with an edge to the question, as if mentioning the topic was displeasing.

"Hm? You mean that young man, Gabriel? You should not worry. You had successfully stuck a fatal blow on his bondmate Alisha, with the ammunition specially made with blood magic. It rendered any chance for treatment, regeneration, or revival at near zero percent. In addition, if our psychological profile on Gabriel holds true, then the trauma inflicted from having his 'link' suddenly cut will have rendered him mentally unbalanced and very nearly suicidal. Much like the last one from two centuries ago."

As the vampire had finished its summary the masked one before him seemed to have relented and its posture relaxed. Still, a clenched fist remained in the left hand, indicating that Gabriel's very existence was an offensive topic.

"Do not worry. You have done what was expected of you and have earned a respite. After a week's time you shall be called upon again. You may go and enjoy a job well done." The roman smiles warmly after saying this.

"Thank you, sir." The masked figure bows as it says this, stands, bows once more, then turns and leaves.

After a few minutes the roman dressed vampire's smile fades and his facial expression turns serious. He turns around himself and walks to the end of the hall. Upon reaching a set of dark wooden double doors they open automatically and he steps inside. Much like the museum he walked through, his study was also a blend of the ancient and modern.

He sits behind a large mahogany desk with a keyboard and a holographic display that had a black screen and a strange 3-dimensional symbol rotating. The vampire named Quintus Salvius Sevso sighs tiredly as he talks to seemingly no one but himself.

"What a debacle." He says flatly.

He pulls open a drawer in his desk and takes out three items. The first was seemingly a bottle of bloodwine, a favorite among living vampires. The second item was a wine glass, and the third was an earpiece. The vampire Quintus opens the bottle and pours himself a full glass. After he had finished pouring he downed the entire glass in less than nine seconds. He pours another and puts the bottle away. He then sets the glass to the side, puts on the earpiece, and presses a single button on its side.

"Contact number 12." He says plainly. After a few seconds a muffled voice is heard from his ear as he responds to it.

"Yes, it is I. The hit was carried out, however there were some complications."

A pause while Quintus listens to the voice on the other end of the line.

"That werewolf associate of theirs, 'Jon', appeared just in time to interfere with the hit. Despite taking a 30-story fall he had managed to survive. Alisha's death was confirmed but Gabriel was left alive and as far as I know, undamaged."

A pause.

"Do not worry. Even if he survived, he is going to wish he hadn't. However, we have larger issues that need to be addressed."

A pause.

"Yes, I know that. However, when my secondary human agents had moved in to finish the job, they found the apartment empty, and both their bodies gone."

A pause.

"I do not know. Since the bodies could not be collected, and their deaths confirmed, we may need to accelerate our time table."

Another pause, and Quintus sighs tiredly.

"Must I repeat myself you fool? Their bodies could not be found, and as such, without a confirmation of her passing, Alisha's followers will have more than enough reason to believe that she is still alive and simply in hiding."

A pause as Quintus listens to the voice on the other end of the line.

"Hm? No the assassin still lives, and for now shall continue to work for us in the future. You do not discard resources just because you are displeased. It is that foolish thinking of yours that led us to this debacle."

A pause, and then Quintus speaks with an angered growl.

"Do not threaten me, or shall I remind you why I am the 4th seat in the Hierarchy and you are the 5th?"

Another pause as the two communicating were engaged in a silent standoff, waiting for the other to relent. In the Vampire Hierarchy, a council of nine elder and ancient vampires reigns supreme as the highest holders of authority in their society. A ranking system of 1st through the 9th determines rank and standing with a constant tug-of-war going on for power and influence. The other seats belong to those who are subordinate to each member of the council, with seconds in command, administrators, and various other positions reminiscent of a country's government.

There exists a tenth seat, which a Grand Master should be occupying, but that seat had remained vacant for centuries, which resulted in constant power struggles. Thus, the remaining nine seats were unable to agree on a successor. As such, proposals for policies and actions were decided by a majority vote. Once a vote had been cast and decided, none may go against those decisions regardless of station or rank. However, there were exceptions to this as ancient laws and rights set down by the first elders remained active and were upheld for vampires, and could not be overturned without a full council vote, as well as the vote a of Grand Master.

Just as it seemed the silence would continue, a voice is heard on the other end of the earpiece.

"Humph. Apology accepted for now. Back to the matter at hand. With the disappearances of both Alisha and her bondmate Gabriel, we must now redouble our efforts, lest Alisha's sympathizers in the council further impede progress."

"Umu. Then get to it. And Platen? The next time you threaten me will be the last."

With that final statement Quintus abruptly ended the conversation and turned off the earpiece. Afterward, he had placed it back in his drawer and then pushed a button underneath his desk. A fake wall to his right started to rise as he turned in his chair with wineglass in hand. The wall had fully risen to reveal an extremely old portrait that looked like it had been painted in the 17th century, in the portrait was Alisha in an elegant blue and purple dress typically worn during that time period. Quintus looks upon the portrait with a combination of nostalgia and respect.

"A toast to you my dear Alisha. Even in death you cause me no end of trouble. He he he. I have no doubt that your father would be proud of you for that." He said as he takes a drink.

"Hmm. Still…it is strange. How did she manage to get hers and Gabriel's body out of there? Granted we could only commit limited resources, but something seems off here." The vampire sank into thought as he mulled over the puzzle before him.

"Finding a way to trap her and Gabriel in that silly game was easy enough, but if the arrival of Jon is any indication, then she must have had another plan in mind to ensure their escape. If that is the case then what…" Just as the vampire Quintus was about to finish that sentence his voice trailed off as his eyes widened from realization, with a tinge of horror.

"NO! She did not…If she actually managed to accomplish it, then we cannot fall behind. Damn you girl!" He drinks in the remaining bloodwine with a single gulp as his breathing became irregular and agitated.

"Gabriel, I hope for your sake that you had killed yourself. If not, then only hell awaits you."

The vampire Quintus says as he pulls out a dragon shaped medallion from his desk made of faded gold. The design being extremely similar to the symbol used by Gabriel's and Alisha's YGGDRASIL player's guild, The Dragon's Inquisition.

* * *

 ***A/N: Just a reminder, I keep my "Bio" page updated with news and developments, so keep an eye out. Now, the reviews replies!***

 **UndeadLord22-9/01/17** **: Heh. The "WTF" was deliberate to show just what exactly Gabriel will be up against with more to come, I assure you. As for how his journey in the New World continues from here, well you'll just have to keep reading. ;)**

 **Shalltear Bloodfallen-9/01/17** **: It's a shame that you won't give it a chance before Ainz shows up, because the best is yet to come! As for how they'll react to each other, let's just say that the relationship will be a complicated one, and that's all I'm saying right now. ;)**

 **pta917-9/01/17** **: Heh. I like that little, "nurse client privilege" comment. It's cool. I got another one; the "Florence Nightingale Effect". You'll see what that means next chapter. ;) Overall, glad that you liked it! :D**

 **MajorShipper519-9/02/17 & 9/03/17** **: Responded via PMs. Short versions: 9/02: Dylan's death was not as cut and dried as I wrote previously and did so for two reasons. First, the chapter was getting long enough as it was and I glossed over the details for the sake of story flow. Second, there is more to it than that and saved it for later because Gabriel's past is not completely done with him yet. Oh, and the actions in asterisks are a shorthand method I use to keep things flowing and moving in conversations. 9/03: The measurements are used to help with the depictions of things, saves time, and I recognize that not everyone will know the same things I have seen for visual references, so hence the measurements. Plus, since the fanfic community encompasses different countries from all over I provide the different measurements for aiding the process. The Keep's NPCs were not set to see the guild members as "gods" or as irreplaceable leaders, so while devoted they will not be hindered by blind fanatical devotion like those of Nazarick. Plus, since the Keep's guild membership consisted of those with martial and military backgrounds, they have had inherited their "do what must be done", mentality which will play into future events in what I hope will be interesting ways.**

 **levelgap-9/08/17** **: LOL! That reinforces why I like you! Glad to see that Gabriel's reaction wasn't as shocking or confusing to you, and for why his level is down, that's a plot point I can't spoil right now. Sorry!~ But don't worry too much. He's not the lazy type so he works to build it back up, as you will soon see. Gatoh and Relina's fate will be interesting. That's all I can say. The Yogg Queen's fate shall is going to be interesting as well, I can promise that. And don't worry. As soon as my computer troubles are fixed there will be more! ;)**


	5. Chapter 5-Friendly&Unfriendly Strangers

**Chapter 5-The Friendly & Unfriendly Strangers**

 **Land of the Drake Riders, Ru'rah Palace**

Gatoh and his wife Relina exit the massive double doors of the palace with labored breathing as if they had sprinted all the way back from their meeting with the queen. In truth, they had merely walked at a normal pace. The reason for their strained breaths was obvious to the guards as they gave knowing and approving nods upon seeing them. Meetings with their queen, Bwynleah Veinun, often ended with her subjects in this state from the accumulated stress that had built up.

As the massive double doors shut behind them, Relina would be the first to break the silence as they remove their helms, with beads of sweat covering every square inch of their faces.

"Wh…what in the dragon's name is going on here?!" She says gritting her teeth with barely contained anger as she struggles to keep her voice down.

Her fellow drake rider and husband Gatoh was also in a similar condition. He approached his wife from behind as he placed his right hand on her left shoulder in an attempt to calm her down.

"I understand how you feel but we must…"

His words are cut off as Relina spins around to face him.

"None of this makes sense! None of this feels right! To be given promotions like this out of nowhere. And to be leading an invasion on a giant fortress that literally appears out of thin air! It's all too absurd!"

Relina's voice was gradually getting louder as the once barely contained stress and anger had finally been given the freedom to escape her body. Gatoh was also feeling the same as he grit his teeth, but it seemed more directed towards his wife than the queen as he shouts over her.

"NONE OF THAT MATTERS! BE SILENT!"

This had caught her completely by surprise as the sudden outburst shocks her into silence. Outside of giving orders out in the field, Gatoh was never one to raise his voice towards his wife and fellow rider. She looks upon him and sees he was gritting his teeth with a pleading look on his face that told her exactly what he was feeling.

They had known each other since childhood, and after being together for so long they could read each other's facial expressions like they were reading a book. They both were on edge over the whole situation. Gatoh sighs as he steps forward and embraces his wife.

"I understand how you feel about this my wife, but unless we want to risk a repeat of what happened when she took over, we have no choice but to follow her orders."

They both lean their foreheads into the other's, with tears streaming down their faces. Whatever it was that they were remembering the memory was a painful one. Relina relents and leans in to give her husband a passionate kiss. While sharing their tender moment, a deep but playful female voice calls out to them.

"Hey you two.~ Shouldn't ya' wait till ya' get home, or you plannig on puttin' on a show for my benefit?~"

They both chuckle as they release each other from their embrace and look towards the newcomer that had called out to them. It was a female, feline-type beastman with white fur and a slim, lithe body wearing the same type of light-armor that they wore.

Her name was Ericah Sabine and previously served with them in the same unit. At 6ft 11in (211cm) she was taller than most of the humans that she encountered. Being friends with her, Gatoh and Relina extend hands to Ericah. Just as she was about to take them her eyes widened upon seeing the adamantite drake medals on their chests. Then she grins and takes their hands in turn.

"Whoa now! I turn my back for a few minutes, and suddenly you two are in tha' same unit as me.~" She says pointing to the same medal on her own rather large chest.

"Meh. It was bound to happen sooner or later you know.~" Relina says in a teasing tone of voice.

"Ha ha ha ha! Too true! It took ya' long enough, that's for sure!" Ericah says with a laugh as she and Relina pat each other and Gatoh on the shoulders.

They begin walking casually towards their mounts as Gatoh then looks up at their comrade to speak.

"So how have you been, Ericah? We haven't seen much of you for the last month."

"Oh, nothin' much. Just breakin' in some of tha' new recruits.~" She says with smirk.

Both Relina and Gatoh roll their eyes and sigh at the statement. Relina then responds.

"I see. So the infamous 'Cherry Picker' strikes again." Relina says with a deadpan expression.

"Ha ha ha! You know it! Young humanoid men are so soft and attractive, I just can't help myself.~ 'specially those young, energetic virgins.~ " Ericah says with a happy and satisfied smile on her face as her ears and tail starts twitching excitedly.

Gatoh sighs as he starts speaking with an uncomfortable look on his face.

"Dare I ask how many took part in your 'special' training sessions this time, 'Cherry Picker'?"

"HUSBAND!" Relina quickly snaps at Gatoh with a fully reddened face.

Before Gatoh could say anything else Ericah answers nonchalantly.

"Oh, only six this time 'round. After all, it's sooo _hard_ to get into tha' Royal Air Guard.~" She replies.

Both Gatoh and Relina face-palmed at the all too obvious pun. Ericah laughs at their reactions.

In the Land of the Drake Riders, humans were the majority race. The other races within its borders were elves, dwarves, a few lizardmen, and beastmen, but were in the minority. Dragons were the founders and thus were the ruling class until two years ago. One of the older rulings of their nation was that as long as an individual obeyed the laws and rulers of the land, then any race may settle as a citizen after a grace period was passed for immigration.

Obviously, one of those laws forbade the murder of another citizen, regardless of race, for unjustified reasons. Despite the change in power, that law has not changed, except when it came to the queen of course. Her rise to power was a 'bloody' chapter in their small country's history.

One very prominent change that the queen instituted was a greater status of power and an increase in influence for the females in their nation. Although it was not a complete overhaul, the nation was now a borderline matriarchy, where the females of high rank and status had great leeway in terms of authority and 'fringe' benefits. That included their choice of any unmarried male they wanted.

Ericah Sabine, who had been born and raised in this country, was an avid lover of humanoid males, and abused that benefit mercilessly, earning her the moniker of 'Cherry Picker'. Strangely, it got her in good standing with the current queen, which led to her current rank and station.

As Ericah was laughing her cheerful expression slowly turned serious as they reached their drake mounts on the landing platform. She turned around to face her friends and comrades who quickly noticed the change in her mood as she spoke to them.

"So, what's this 'magic fortress' the queen wants us ta' invade?"

As she finishes Relina responds in surprise.

"Wha…how did you know about that? We just finished our report."

Gatoh seemed unfazed as Ericah replied to his wife's question.

"The queen's a monstrous bitch but she's no fool. She used the [Message] spell ta' inform me and a few others about tomorrow's mission while we were talking. I'm ta' relay these orders to everyone else while you two rest up for the mission. Oh! And say hello to your new Drake-Flight Commander.~"

She smiles and waves at them as Relina and Gatoh look at her with a mixture of various different emotions on their faces. Gatoh breaks the awkward silence as he speaks.

"While I have no qualms serving under an old childhood friend, are you sure it is wise to slander the queen so openly? Others have died for less."

His expression was one of worry as he addressed his comrade and his new superior. She shrugged and waved it off as she spoke.

"Meh. The long an' short of it is, the queen likes me. I guess it's because imma' fellow female of authority an' lover of humanoid males or some such. As long as I bring her results, she doesn't care."

Gatoh and Relina breathe a sigh of relief knowing their friend and commander will be safe from reprisals.

"Now you two, go home, have some fun, get some rest, and report to Drake Aviary-1 tomorrow at noon." She says, giving her orders with a grin on her face.

Gatoh and Relina were red faced as they straightened their posture and pressed a closed fist against their chests in a salute. They put their helms back on, get on their mounts, and fly off into the distance. Ericah stretches as she yawns and looks out towards the city as she purrs.

"Now then!~ Once I get everyone informed, I'll follow my own advice an' find me some fun. The 'cherries' are all used up after all.~" She chuckles to herself as she hops onto her mount and flies off into the sky.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, Bedroom of Guild-Member Joseph Peter Andersen**

A comfortable, cool breeze flows through the air caressing the skin of Gabriel's face as he is slowly stirred by it. Like a man who had spent the previous evening binge drinking alcohol he slowly and lazily flutters his eyes open. At first his vision is blurred, but after a few more blinks it clears and he sees a ceiling fan silently rotating above him.

He turns his head, looking to his right, and then looks to left, seeing he is alone in an unfamiliar bedroom. As he sits up his eyes were unfocused and empty, and could very easily be confused with the eyes of a dead man. He looks around, seemingly indifferent to everything, but then his thoughts were beginning to form.

' _Ugh...Where am I? I feel…hung over.'_ He thinks as he continues to look around in an unfocused and indifferent manner.

Just then the sound of a door opening and closing is heard to his left. He turns his head slightly and as he does he sees a beautiful woman standing a few feet from him holding a tray that had a bowl and a large glass of sparkling soda on it. She was wearing a blue, knee length skirt with a white button up shirt and blue three button coat. The attire at a glance said, "secretary" but it was the kind of secretary that would seduce most men into acts of stupidity as her finely shaped physique tightly filled her attire.

As Gabriel's vision worked its way up from her impressive figure he saw her wearing a pair of silver-framed glasses with her white hair done up in a bun. The newcomer looked upon him with a warm, friendly, and charming smile that could waver the heart of any man into taking notice and thinking that she was in love with them. Although not outwardly moved, Gabriel was internally perplexed.

' _An attractive young lady, but who is this albino?...Huh... Strange. I feel like I've seen her somewhere before...'_

His thoughts trail off as the newcomer, currently unknown to him to be Addison-Rei, slowly walks forward with tray in hand. She moves with a combination of precision, elegance, and grace that makes Gabriel take greater notice of her as she bends over at the waist and gently places the tray on the night stand.

' _Precision movements? Fluid motions? She moves her body with such discipline and grace… Ugh! My head hurts thinking about this…'_

Once again Gabriel's thoughts trail off, with a sudden burst of pain in his head stopping him from thinking too deeply. Both his hands then go to cradle his skull, and then another flash of pain as the memory of Alisha's loss floods his consciousness. Tears start streaming down his face and he was on the verge of breaking down to cry. Addison sees this and almost immediately reaches over and gently embraces him with his head planted squarely on to her bosom.

"Please Gabriel take things slow. You are still recovering and need time.~"

Her voice was firm, but soft, gentle, and kind. It was almost as if her voice had a special power to soothe the pain in his mind and heart. Slowly, Gabriel felt himself relax and the pain subsides. He takes in deep, controlled breaths as he thinks to himself.

' _The... the mystery girl. She's so soft and gentle. Like being held by a cloud. And she smells so nice. Can't place it. It's like strawberries and lilacs. Ah~! I could breath this in all day…~'_

His face started to look like it had more energy as life shined in his eyes again and color returns to his cheeks. Addison doesn't say another word, but instead she lovingly runs her fingers through Gabriel's long, blond hair while wiping away his tears like a mother comforting a child. She does this for about nine minutes before she slowly relents, and gently releases Gabriel from her arms.

They both seemed to have brief looks of disappointment flash across their faces as she moves away and back to the tray she set down. Addison takes hold of it and although her face was the picture of calm, her thoughts were chaotic, running at lightning speeds.

' _Oh, Lord Gabriel… was held… on my bosom! Kyaa~! This may be to help my lord, but I didn't want to let go!'_

Addison kept her composure as she lays the tray on Gabriel's lap, and removes the lid on the bowl revealing a fragrant soup with chicken broth, rice, potatoes, and mixed vegetables. The smell was being wafted through the air and into Gabriel's nostrils, stimulating his stomach and appetite as a faint *growl* was heard. Addison chuckles slightly as she pulls up a small swivel chair with wheels and takes a seat next to him.

"Please, eat up. We'll talk after you're done." She says with a warm smile.

Gabriel looks at her questioningly, but soon the grumbling in his belly shifts his priorities and with spoon in hand he begins to devour the soup. While he does so his thoughts begin to form again.

 _'Ah~. This soup is fantastic. Five-star quality easily. Damn, I'm so hungry. Still gotta get some answers from this albino girl when I'm done. As far as I can tell she means me no harm, but I'm also getting the feeling she's hiding something... Ugh! My head feels so heavy. And where have I seen her before?!'_

While Gabriel continues to slurp down his meal with all haste Addison-Rei was thinking to herself.

 _'The potion seems to be working. Lord Gabriel is staying calm and his attention is being limited to only certain things. I still can't be careless. From what I understand Lord Gabriel is highly observant. Must continue to act as Lady Tamura instructed and let Lord Gabriel come to his own conclusions...'_

She is brought out of her thoughts as Gabriel slams the bowl down from drinking what was left of the broth. Then he takes the glass of sparkling soda and downs it in four gulps. In less than six minutes he had finished his meal, whilst leaving Addison-Rei momentarily stunned.

 _'Um, maybe it's the fault of the potion, but Lord Gabriel's table manners leave much to be desired. Ahaa!~ What am I thinking?! This isn't the time for such frivolous notions!'_

As she mentally chastises herself she takes the tray and sets it aside on the night stand. Addison would be the first to speak as she sits back down.

"Well, you must be feeling better now. Let me introduce myself, my name is Addison, but some of my friends call me Addy. Please feel free to call me whichever you like."

She finishes her introduction with a slight bow of the head and a friendly smile on her face. The air around her was one of comfort, ease, caring, and familiarity. To Gabriel it felt like he was with someone whom could easily be friends with, but that only served to heighten his caution. She begins to mention something about looking after Gabriel's health after a trauma of some kind, but he doesn't pay as much attention to what she says as much as how she says it.

 _'This girl...she's so nice and friendly, but that's just too suspicious. I'm certain this is the first time we've met, but I feel completely at ease around this 'Addy'. Something's off here. Ugh, my head still feels like it's in a vice. I've been cold reading her this whole time, and other than the obvious shock at my eating habits, I get the feeling she means me no harm. In fact, she seems more concerned about me than anything else. That's just...too perfect.'_

Cold reading was a set of techniques used to study and judge a person's voice inflections, mannerisms, expressions, and micro-expressions. Gabriel was proficient at it, which was often used by spies, police, and con-artists to read people's reactions. Despite his state nothing seemed amiss at all, but doubts still gnawed at him. Addison reaches over and takes his left wrist and looks at a watch while feeling his pulse. Then, a thought comes to him as he ponders the situation.

 _'Wait a sec, Alisha and I had saved a lot of kids over the years. Some of them even worked for her as her agents and acolytes. Even I never knew all of them. Could she be...'_

His thoughts trail off as Addison moves her hand away from his wrist and says some things about his vitals. Again, he doesn't pay much attention to what is actually said as much as how it is said.

 _'Medical training with a singular concern for me?... maybe. Time to test my theory.'_

"Say, Addy, is it? If I were to ask, 'what is a man?', how would you respond?" Gabriel's expression turns serious as he says this.

Addison looks at him in a questioning manner.

 _'If she's really one of Alisha's, then she'll know the counter-sign. If not then...'_

His thoughts abruptly stop as Addison slightly tilts her head and smiles, seeming to be ready to give her answer.

"What is a man, but a wealth of untapped potential, right?"

She chuckles as Gabriel relaxes once again. He still feels an ache in his skull, but the correct answer was given and with it the last remnant of any of his suspicious thoughts or feelings. He lets out a very weak laugh and sighs as Addison thinks to herself.

 _'It was just like I thought. Lord Gabriel was on edge and suspicious of me. Even with that potion in his system! It was fortunate that Tamura knew this phrase from Lady Alisha and told me through [Message]. Lord Gabriel hid it well, but I was certain he would kill me if I didn't answer correctly. How frightening!'_

Addison wanted to convulse in fear and terror at the thought. However, she powered through as she continued to smile warmly at her master, who then speaks up to ask a question.

"So, you one of Alisha's are you? Did she help you too?" He closes his eyes and sighs upon his last word spoken.

For just a moment Addison-Rei looked confused, but immediately recomposed herself as she answered.

"Yes, she did. She helped make me who I am today, as well as many others." She says with fondness and admiration in her voice as she smiled with her head slightly lowered.

 _'Or to be more precise, she helped Lord Joseph in my creation and the creation of some of my fellow nurses...'_

Gabriel opens his eyes and looks at her expression. It was genuine and as he turned his head away he lowered it and looked at his hands in his lap.

"Is that so. I see. *sighs* I'm such an idiot..."

Tears begin to form in his eyes again as he tries to think back on his last memories of Alisha. The final time he held her in his arms, and the final time her heard her voice. The final time he felt her presence in his mind and heart. Pain returns to his head but he ignores it as he lets the tears flow. He tries to force himself to focus and a barrage of memories flood his mind, all of which leads him back to a singular emotion: a deep seeded sorrow.

Once again, Addison sees this and embraces him like before, but this time he doesn't calm down. He cries like a dam had burst open in his heart. He holds her in return and continues to openly display his sadness for her to see. Addison doesn't say a word as she lets him cry in her chest. Even she couldn't hold back any longer as her eyes freely flowed tears of their own. She bit her lower lip to hold back her own voice as Gabriel's wails of grief pierced her ears.

 _'Hiee, no! Please, my lord. Your pain and sorrow breaks my heart! Even Lady Tamura's buffs aren't helping. Please, I implore you Lord Gabriel! Please stop crying...'_

She closes her eyes tightly as her silent pleas go unanswered.

* * *

In the guild meeting room of Dracon's Keep, a [Crystal Monitor] brightly shines above the spot where Alisha would be sitting. It was being occupied by her NPC creation Tamura who was keeping watch over everything that was happening with her master Gabriel.

She too had tears flowing down her cheeks as she witnessed what was happening. Her hands which held her staff trembled as she fought the urge to go to her master's side and cry with him and share in his grief.

"Please my Lord Gabriel, we need you. Lady Alisha believed in you. I know you can get through this, and when you do we will be here for you." Tamura says aloud to herself as she tries to calm down, and continues to watch things unfold.

* * *

Back in the bedroom, ten minutes could easily have been confused for an hour. Gabriel poured his broken heart out to the girl he had been suspicious of not too long ago. Now that he was calming down, he looked at the girl's face which was red from her own tears. Their eyes locked for a moment, taking in their mutual expressions. Gabriel would then break his gaze and release his hold on Addison.

"Tell me, Addy. What do I do now?"

He clenches his right hand into a fist as an empty and lost expression comes over his face.

The question and the expression that went with it left her at a loss for words. How should she answer? She was lost herself as the full intent behind the question had sunk in, and she realized where this was going. She clenched her teeth in frustration and then placed both her hands on Gabriel's head which forced him to look at her.

"You live, Gabriel. If I knew anything about Lady Alisha, is that she loved you with every fiber of her being. She would want you to live on. For your sake, and for those who were left behind with you. Her soul couldn't rest otherwise..."

As she says this her own tears leaked out again, but she powered on through and looked Gabriel straight into his eyes with a firm resolve. Gabriel cocked an eyebrow as he looked at her with an expression of respect.

 _'Lady Alisha? It has a nice ring to it. Still, she's lucky to not know just how much more deeply this hurts me than her. No one could ever understand. But I should grateful. These aren't empty platitudes I'm hearing. This girl means it. Every word and feeling is very real and honest. I can't believe I was suspicious of this sweet albino girl...'_ He grits his teeth and closes his eyes as a few more tears run down his cheeks.

Gabriel was about to reach up to remove her hands from his face, but then suddenly Addison wraps her arms around his neck. Using momentum, she forces him back down onto the bed. Before his head even hit the pillow her lips had wrapped around his in a passionate kiss. Gabriel didn't look stunned, instead looked indifferent, not seeming to resist. Then, another shot of pain runs through his skull as the memory of Alisha's last words flash through his mind.

 _'...Move on with your life. Live. Live your life, not just for me but yourself. Find a way to move on and be happy.'_

He takes in a few deep breaths as Addison-Rei's scent floods his nostrils, and once again calms him down. He returns her embrace and her passionate kiss as he thinks to himself.

 _'Alisha, I don't know if I have it within me to truly move on without you, but maybe I can find a way to "live" on. Even if it is just a single step forward, I'll try to live again, not for me, but for you.'_

With these last thoughts he gives in to the moment of passion that Addison had forced on him. His hands relax and are guided up from her back to her head. He gently removes her glasses and then tosses them to the side without a care for breaking them. Addison-Rei slowly pulled away so their eyes could meet again.

She could tell the look in his eyes had changed and he had accepted her advances. A happy, radiant smile beamed down from her like a ray of sunlight. A slight and brief smirk escapes Gabriel's lips at this.

 _'I feel like I'm in a badly written fiction. In over two-hundred years, I've never once had a real 'Florence Nightingale effect' moment happen. I guess there really is a first time for everything.'_

After that thought he reaches up and undoes her hair bun to reveal her long, healthy, and silky white hair. It was so long it could easily reach to the middle part of her back. Gabriel gently runs his fingers through her hair, and as he does so he could feel her breathing quicken and her soft skin become hot to the touch. Addison-Rei starts to slowly undress as she first removes her shoes, and then her skirt revealing her pink silk panties. She continues to undress as her thoughts spin into overdrive.

 _'Oh...my...GOD! T-This is really happening! I'm about to have my first time...with Lord Gabriel! AH!~ Forgive me Lady Alisha. I only wish to help Lord Gabriel, and I will give my all, even my body for that cause!'_

Her thoughts came to an end when she realized that she was completely bare before Gabriel, and slowly crawled into bed with him once again. Expectation, trepidation, and excitement all intermingled within her as she allowed her soft and smooth skin to press onto Gabriel's hardened, muscled physique.

Her body was like a red hot poker the instant she made contact with his skin. Gabriel's hands and fingers slowly traveled the lengths and contours of her body, and like a musician and a composer in one, each touch from him elicited a new response in the form of a symphony moans, yelps, sighs, breaths, winces, gasps, and quivers. They were locking lips as Gabriel's thoughts were once again coming back to him through his haze of growing lust and libido.

 _'This girl is a virgin. I can tell. A bit rare for a beautiful girl like this. And for some reason, I still can't shake the feeling that I've seen her somewhere before. Where was it...?'_

He again tries to ponder the answer, but again the answer escapes him as he becomes absorbed by the beauty that twitches and convulses in excitement at every single one of his touches and his breaths on her skin.

* * *

Tamura, who has continued to watch things unfold via [Crystal Monitor], was breathing heavily and was completely red faced as she watched Addison's and Gabriel's naked bodies intertwine.

Summoning a large bottle of blue, glowing water, she proceeded to drink the entirety of the contents in less than ten seconds flat. She shifted and moved slightly in discomfort in her seat continuing to watch the scene before her.

"I... I really shouldn't be watching this, but I can't take my eyes off of...of..."

Her voice trails off as her eyes widen and a rather loud, room echoing moan is heard from the monitor. Tamura's jaw drops as she sees the reason for the sudden outburst.

"Wow...so big..."

* * *

Gabriel was on top of Addison-Rei as they continued to make love for the second consecutive hour. His fingers were intertwined with hers as their breathing became more in sync, and all the while the heat radiating from their bodies allowed a subtle steam to form in the air around them. He released his hands from hers to embrace her while Addison's arms wrapped around Gabriel's back.

So great was her ecstasy that she tried to dig into the flesh of his back with her fingernails, but she lacked the strength to even pierce his skin which was like living iron. Their lips locked together again in a passionate kiss that refused to separate from each other. All the while Gabriel's thoughts faded in and out.

 _'Ah... where am I? I never asked...'_

 _'What am I doing? Having sex with a girl I barely know. Haven't done that in a while...'_

 _'She knew Alisha... How?... Do I care?'_

 _'Ugh! That pain in my skull again! I have to stop thinking about this...'_

 _'NO! Ignore the pain! I must figure this out. Every time I try to think that pain comes back. I won't have it! Think. Think! THINK!'_

As he continues to make love to the quivering nurse beneath him, Gabriel uses all the will he can muster and forces his fractured mind to think back to the very beginning. Everything after Alisha's death and his subsequent descent into desperation and madness was a blur. Then suddenly images appeared in his mind. They were disjointed and hazy but they were there waiting for him. In his mind they were impossible and unbelievable things, and then...

It all goes blank again as he reaches a certain pain and pleasure threshold, and he passes out along with Addison-Rei. They lay there unconscious in each others' arms as night falls on Dracon's Keep. Back in the guild meeting room, a red faced and panting Tamura closed the [Crystal Monitor] and was surrounded by ten empty glass bottles. She stood up, uneasy on her feet and used her staff to stabilize herself as she spoke.

"Ah! Thank the lady they're finally done. I couldn't take it anymore! Ah~ah. I'm going to go release some of this pent up energy. I'll let Walter and Charon know everything is fine for now. Whew!"

As she finished her sentence she disappears in a flash of blue light.

* * *

All was black as Gabriel's consciousness was an empty void, with only the sound of his heartbeat echoing and resonating in the empty vastness. Then, the sound of a large growling animal could be heard, as if a mighty beast was waking from slumber. Shortly after, a deep voice speaks that fills the void with feelings of strength, wisdom, and strangely even mild annoyance as it lets out a long and deep sigh.

 _/'Oh, little Gabriel. I am growing weary of this charade. Although I understand your pain and feelings, I am losing patience for your wallowing and your ineptitude. It is time for me to step in. At least, just a little bit. Your own memories shall lead the way to the truth.'/_

At that last word the void was filled with a torrent of images and sounds that swirled and twisted into a blurred vortex. Slowly they receded and settled on what was a memory of Gabriel's past. During this period he was newly bonded to Alisha and was a very young 32 years old.

He was laying down on his back on a flat bolder that was overlooking a hot spring. He had both his hands behind his back with Alisha straddling him. Both of them were naked and covered in sweat as they held a conversation, with Gabriel's facial expression one of curiosity as Alisha's was one of amusement.

"Really? You're saying there were other types besides blood magic?" Gabriel asks excitedly.

"Oh, yes lover. There was at one point many different types of magic thousands of years ago, long before either of us ever existed." Alisha replied with a smile.

"Huh. So it wasn't a complete waste of time to read all those fantasy novels as a kid? Good to know! So what other kinds of magic were there?" He asks with wide-eyed excitement.

Alisha chuckles as she leans down and folds her arms on top of his muscular chest and looks in him the eyes with a smile.

"No idea." She said still smiling.

"HUH?! What kind of answer is that?!" Gabriel says annoyed at the response.

"It's true. For now I have no idea. Only upper members of the Hierarchy would know more, and they're not sharing these secret facts and histories with anyone." Alisha says matter-of-factly.

Gabriel wore an expression of disappointment and annoyance.

"Ugh! What assholes! The more you tell me about them the more I hate 'em... Wait a second. If they're not sharing then how do you know about it?"

"My father. He was a high ranking member of the Hierarchy before he passed away." She says this with a hint of sadness as she finished that sentence. Like it was a memory she didn't wish to revisit.

Gabriel senses this and moved his mouth to speak before stopping himself halfway, realizing it would be insensitive to ask further. Deciding to leave it to her own discretion, he smiles warmly at her as if to say, "It's alright".

Seeing this she recomposes herself almost immediately and continues to speak.

"Daddy shared a lot of details with me on a great number of things including the existence of other magicks and even the existence of other worlds too." She says with both pride and affection in her voice.

"Huh. Never would've pegged you for being a 'daddy's little girl' type." He says with a wry grin.

Alisha looks down as she slightly blushes at the comment.

"Ha! I was right!"

She puffed up her cheeks in a cute pout at the comment before she reached down with her left hand and pinched Gabriel's "family jewels".

"Eek!" He shrieks in discomfort while she wore a mischievous grin.

He looked like he was about to retort when something occurred to him that made his eyes widen.

"Hold on, angel. No, not that! What you said before. What was that about other worlds?"

Alisha looked both surprised and impressed at the question before answering with a happy smile.

"Good job catching that, Gabe. Apparently the existence of other worlds and even other dimensions was known to da-, to my father before the end. Although, these were little more than stories within the Hierarchy, there were those who believed in them, my father included."

As Alisha finished her story Gabriel had an expression of awe on his face. Like a child who discovered something new and wanted more.

"Whoa. That sounds...incredible. Damn it! Now I really wanna know if it's true or not! Thanks a lot for that!"

Now Gabriel had a pouting face as he moved his arms from behind his head and embraced Alisha. She responded by returning his embrace as she replied.

"Who knows my love. Now that we are bonded, you could live to one day see the theories and stories become reality."

"Hmm. I can't wait."

Alisha chuckles at Gabriel's short comment.

"I know something else that can't wait." She says with a grin as she pulls Gabriel closer...

* * *

The memory fades like a multi-colored mist as the swirl of images once again form a vortex in the void, and once again settle down into a memory of the past. Gabriel sits at a table in a public coffee shop/lounge that had a warm and relaxed atmosphere.

Sitting next to him was a man in his late-thirties with a light skin complexion, lean build, brown hair, and brown eyes. He was about 5ft 11in (180cm) in height and was about 189lbs (84kg) in weight. The two of them seemed to know each other as they were holding a friendly conversation.

The man answered to the name "Joseph" and the conversation revolved around the recent success they had in capturing their new guild-base in YGGDRASIL less than nine days prior. Joseph addressed Gabriel in a friendly and admiring tone of voice as he spoke and Gabriel was listening whilst enjoying a cup of fresh, steaming coffee.

"I have have to tell you guild-leader, that was one heck of a passionate speech you made to defend Dylan's choice of a guild-name. I've known you for what? Ten years? And I've never once heard you get _that_ serious about anything."

Gabriel sets his cup of coffee down before he responded in a tired chuckle.

"Okay, first please don't call me that outside of the game. It feels weird. Second, with a wonderful wife at my side, I rarely need to get serious about anything that doesn't involve politics, food, and/or sex." He says with a smile.

Joseph chuckles at the cheeky statement.

"Speaking of which, where is the Lady Alisha?" Joseph says with a grin.

"Oh, fer crying out loud, you guys are going to drive me nuts with the excessive role-playing." Gabriel says with a weary smile as he rolls his eyes.

"Ha! Blame her, not me. She's convinced almost everyone in the guild to roll with it."

"Ugh. Joy." Gabriel says with a deadpan expression.

"And to answer your question, she's at home resting. Apparently, she and Jon pulled a 50 hour gaming marathon session to collect rare data crystals and resources." He says with an awkward smile.

"Damn, brother. I didn't peg her for a hardcore gamer."

"Me either, although if I'm speaking honestly, I think I like this new side to her. She's always tinkering and creating something new."

"Heh. Don't I know it! With all the help she gives creatively, some people in the guild are starting to call her, 'The Architect'. Real dramatic, eh?" Joseph says with an overly exaggerated pose.

"Yeah, I suppose it is. Still, she did have a point in the last meeting. The whole guild will rarely be there to defend the base against raiders and invasions. If we want to ensure the security of the place while we're away, then outfitting the still-under-construction floor guardians with the very best in equipment and weapons is a must."

"Yeah, I can't fault the logic, but the idea of trying to outfit ten NPCs with Divine Class equipment is just insane!" Joseph says excitedly.

Gabriel simply shrugs.

"Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. But trust me when I say that saying 'no' to her doesn't work. Besides, as 'cashers' we might be able to pull it off by using a combination of buying the resources, as well as questing for them." Gabriel says with a confident smug.

"Just make sure those two don't give themselves a heart attack doing it. My clinic already gets enough of those cases as it is, no thanks to the recent 'VR' boom." Joseph says tiredly.

"Heh. No need to worry about those two. Trust me." Gabriel says with a sly, toothy grin on his face that is hidden as he takes another swig of coffee.

After finishing his cup, Gabriel glances down and notices a sketchbook sticking out of Joseph's bag. He cocks his left eyebrow and looks towards him questioningly.

"Taking up a new hobby? Didn't think of you as the artistic type."

"Pfff. Yeah, right. The only artistic types in the guild would be Felix and Alisha."

Joseph takes the sketchbook out of the bag and hands it to Gabriel to peruse through.

"You already know this, but most of us in the guild blow donkey balls when it comes to anything artistic. You suck at art too, right?" Joseph says with a smirk.

"Kiss my ass." Gabriel retorts with a chuckle.

"Heh, anyways, I was having trouble with my own NPC creation projects and asked your lady for help. Barely a day later, she hands me this, almost completely filled with detailed drawings and ideas. How the hell does she do it?!" Joseph exclaims quite loudly, earning him quite a few requests to quite down from nearby tables.

Gabriel flipped through the pages, and with a deadpan expression answers, "Lots of protein in her diet."

Joseph cocks an eyebrow at this and his jaw drops. His facial expression and body language seeming to communicate, 'How does that make any sense?!' Gabriel doesn't pay attention as he was amazed at the number and variety of character sketches and notes that filled the pages. He sets down the book on page 20 as a young and attractive waitress with black hair with blond streaks comes by to see if she can get them anything else. She glances at the open sketchbook and becomes curious.

"Um, excuse me sir?" She says nervously.

Gabriel gives her a warm smile as he replies with a, "Yes?" That makes her cheeks redden, but at the same time puts her at ease.

"That's a really beautiful drawing. Is that someone you know?"

"Hmm? Oh, no. This is just a sketch my wife made for a project."

The waitress was visibly shocked by the statement.

"Really? But it is so well done. The detail is amazing! Your wife should teach in my art class!"

Gabriel smiles with warmth and pride at the statement. The waitress seemed unable to tear her eyes away from the drawing of a beautiful woman in a stereotypical nurse's outfit. Her eyes then goes to the notes at the bottom of the page and without thinking she says the name of the drawing aloud.

"Addison-Rei...?"

* * *

Once again the memory fades into the mists of the void as the vortex of sounds and images briefly spins out of view. Then in a flash, Gabriel's memories of his arrival since the death of Alisha plays in his mind like a movie set on fast-forward until it reaches the present.

At that instant, Gabriel abruptly shoots back to consciousness with a loud gasp for air that made it seem like he was suffocating. His breathing was labored and ragged as he looks upon the face of the unconscious young woman in front of him. His eyes and expressions were filled with a cavalcade of different emotions as memory and clarity coalesced into the present.

With shaking hands he reaches down to touch Addison-Rei's face as the memories came flooding back to him.

"I remember now. Addison-Rei was just a picture that Alisha drew for an NPC project. But then, h... how is this possible?" He says as he stumbles back away to the foot of the bed.

His breathing was ragged and his eyes filled with confusion and uncertainty as he sits in contemplation. His eyes were still locked on the face of the girl he had just slept with. Suddenly he realized that the pain that had impaired his thoughts and judgement was no longer present, and he could calmly take in and analyze everything that had flashed in his mind. He takes in a gulp of air as he went over everything in his mind.

 _'Alright, let me just take a minute here. As far as I can tell I'm in my right mind. I've had hallucinations before, and even experienced brief insanity. But that was only while under the influence of some powerful psychotropic drugs. They got pumped into me that one time on a black-ops request that almost went south. If I use those experiences as a baseline to go by...'_

His eyes widened with the dawning realization that everything was real. Something in his gut was telling him she was real, and that everything he was remembering was not a series of dreams or hallucinations. He shook his head violently to clear any remaining fog from his perception as he tried to consider other alternatives.

He sighs tiredly from the assault of memories and feelings coming over him. One in particular very nearly made him burst into tears with both shame and disappointment: the memory of his attempted suicide. He remembered how broken he felt then, and if he had to be honest he still felt broken.

However, as he lifted his head and gazed at the naked form of the young lady on the bed, whose existence he was still somewhat questioning, he realized that those feelings, while still there, were not nearly as overwhelming as he remembered.

 _'Alisha once tried to tell me that the death of a bondmate would have some serious consequences for the one left behind, but I brushed it off and didn't listen. No. I didn't want to listen. I didn't even want to consider the possibility of a life without her. And now...'_

He grits his teeth and powers on through to continue sifting through his confusing memories. They made no sense to him and he felt a growing frustration building within. Suddenly he felt like his heart would beat out of his chest. He felt like wanted to tear something in half as a series of violent impulses flooded his senses. He started to breath heavily and tried his best to get his emotions under control. After a few minutes of controlled breathing exercises he calmed down and then thinks to himself.

 _'W-What the hell was that just now?! I felt like I wanted to kill something and have it for dinner! Ugh. That was unpleasant, and now I need a drink.'_

He closes his eyes and without even thinking reaches out to his left expecting something to be there. Without realizing it his hand disappears into a small purplish-black portal. When he pulls it back he seemed to be holding a medium sized glass bottle. He pops the lid and begins drinking the contents in a series of loud gulps.

 _'Hmm. Damn. This is the best brew I've ever had in my life. Wait a second. What am I drinking, and for that matter, where did I get it?'_

Gabriel is brought back from his thoughts as he looks at the bottle in hand and his eyes locks onto the label with laser focus.

"Ambrosia?" He says aloud.

 _'This looks exactly like the_ _YGGDRASIL consumable item, Ambrosia! Lore had it set as a high class alcohol found in Asgard. Putting that aside, where did I get it?!'_

Gabriel's thoughts focused on his last, unthinking motions he did just moments ago. He outstretched his hand and then suddenly, like before he reached into a small portal. He was startled at first, but kept his hand in place at he stared at the portal with both shock and awe.

He reached his hand further in and closed his eyes. He could sense and feel every item, every consumable, and every coin from his YGGDRASIL inventory in the game. He removes his hand from the portal and sees that it is unharmed, opening and closing it in a series of movements. Afterward, he puts the bottle back to his lips and takes one last gulp as his eyes had a look of focus.

 _'Sight, sound, taste, touch, pleasure, and pain...'_ He silently counts with the fingers on his right hand as he thinks to himself.

Taking everything in, one last thought crosses his mind as he looks towards the double doors to his right. He stares at the doors for only a moment as he gets up, puts the bottle away in his inventory and places his hand on the door knob as he takes a deep breath.

"One last test. Time to see if I have really gone crazy from grief, or if this is really happening." He says with determination in his voice as he turns the door knob and walks out of the room.

He found himself in a hallway of shining blue steel, platinum, and crystal as he walked out and the door closed behind him. He walks forward looking at everything around him with feelings both of familiarity and awe as he stood in the grand hall of the 8th and final floor of Dracon's Keep.

He looked to his right and stood there just staring at everything within his field of vision. Feelings of calm, relief, and utter shock filled his mind and heart as he held back a crazed laugh. The sudden realization hit his mind like a hammer and he stood in place motionless. There was no telling how long he stood in place in his daze.

"EEK!"

"...!"

Gabriel suddenly did a 180-degree turn to the direction of the sudden noises. What he didn't expect to see was a young, blonde girl in a maid outfit and a young man with purple hair in a butler outfit staring at him red faced, with embarrassed expressions on both of them. They were both level-2 homunculi who, among 30 others, were responsible for maintaining the 8th floor.

Gabriel relaxed his posture and knew instantly that they meant him no harm. In fact, as he studied their facial expressions and body language, he could tell it was the exact opposite. It was then his left eye twitched as he realized his mistake.

 _'Oh, no. I was so focused on trying to confirm my sanity that I forgot to take my dignity along for the ride. Oy. Whatever. Too late now.'_

The servants saw his eye twitch and completely misunderstood the meaning as they bowed low to him, speaking in unison.

"Our sincerest apologies, Lord Gabriel! We should not have stared at your person overlong! Please punish us as you see fit!"

This sudden outburst took Gabriel aback as he processed their words.

 _'Huh? "Lord Gabriel", is it? Ugh. Suddenly I feel like the pain in my head is coming back. Putting aside the word choice, I get what they're saying. They thought I was insulted by all the wandering stares at my body, and now they're scared out of their wits expecting me to get angry. Meh. Honestly, I don't really care.'_

With those final thoughts he looks at them with a neutral facial expression before he speaks.

"You can raise your heads and be at ease. I was not angry with you. I was simply immersed in thought is all."

They hesitated and wouldn't move a muscle. Gabriel couldn't see their faces, but they looked both confused and apprehensive at the sudden declaration. Their simple minds were spinning questions like, 'Is this a test?', or, 'Does he want to punish us face to face?', among many other things.

Gabriel for his part was losing patience over the situation, but remained calm and repeated himself in a softer tone of voice. That time seemed to have worked, and they reluctantly raised their heads whilst keeping their eyes to the floor. Their faces were both flushed red as they spoke in unison with a slight bow.

"We thank our lord for his mercy and magnanimity."

As they spoke, slight happy smiles that Gabriel couldn't see flashed across their faces.

"Hmm. Good then. As you were. Return to your duties." He says waving them away.

"Yes, lord!" They said in unison as the duo did a crisp and smooth about-face as they slowly walked off.

When they were far enough away, they began whispering amongst themselves, starting with the maid.

"I can't believe that just happened, Femyl! To see Lord Gabriel's beautiful and mighty naked form, and his mighty _'weapon'_ as well...Kyaa!~ " She said excitedly.

"I...admit it was a shock, but we are truly blessed that our merciful lord took no offense to our carelessness, Bekka. I shudder at the thought of being at the center of our lord's ire." He said pale-faced, with the maid equally disturbed at the thought.

"I wonder Femyl, why was our Lord Gabriel standing in the grand hall completely bare and in a daze?" The maid Bekka asked in confusion.

"It is not for us to question Lord Gabriel's actions, Bekka. By the will of our creators, we need only serve and obey. We can leave the rest to the great minds and leadership of the guardians, commander, and vice-commander." Femyl says tiredly, clearly not able to grasp the recent situation either.

"Ah.~ Lord Gabriel is so wise and merciful and kind and powerful. I could not help but smile when he forgave us our transgressions." She said like a girl worshipping her idol.

*Ahem!* "I as well, but we must make haste to finish our duties. I'm sure our comrades will want to hear of every detail of our encounter." Femyl says quickening his walking pace while Bekka giggles like a schoolgirl.

"Oh, yes indeed. _Every_ detail.~" She says smiling and red faced while Femyl tries to ignore the comment, also red faced.

Back in the grand hall where the rooms of the high lords were located, Gabriel slowly turned to go back to the room he came out of. As he did he saw two newcomers both bowing to him from the corner of his left eye. They were Walter Bernard Montgomery and Tamura Oakenfold, and Gabriel was once again taken aback at how lifelike they were and simply stared at them with awe.

 _'My dearest Alisha, if only you could see them now. The NPCs you so lovingly crafted are so alive and real...'_

His thoughts trail off as he approaches them. He cradles their faces like Alisha had done so many times before, like a parent comforting their child.

At first, Walter and Tamura tensed up with eyes closed but as Gabriel gently guided their heads up from their bowing position they opened their eyes and saw that there was nothing to fear. Their Lord Gabriel looked upon them with a warm smile as tears of joy slowly leaked from his eyes.

Joy and relief filled their hearts as they saw that their efforts to help their master had borne fruit and they themselves nearly lost themselves to tears. As Gabriel slowly moved his hands away, Walter and Tamura wiped the tears that were forming in their eyes. Walter then straightened his posture as he spoke.

"Sir, it brings us no end of joy to see you are doing well. If you'll allow it, we would like to escort you to the Sanctuary of Ianuaria where Head Doctor Althia Tanos may do an evaluation of your health, and where we might also properly brief you of what has happened."

As Walter finished his brief summary Gabriel wiped his few tears away as he addressed to two of them.

"Very well. Then let us go after I've gotten some clothes. I don't think I need to shock anyone else."

Walter chuckles at the statement while Tamura's face was as red as a tomato.

Gabriel turns back to the door to the bedroom, but before he turns the door knob to enter, he stops in his tracks and has a serious expression on his face. As if there was something that bothered him. This moment made the NPCs that were following behind tense up with fear once again, and were left wondering if something displeased their master. Before either of them could ask Gabriel spoke.

"Tell me you two, we are no longer in YGGDRASIL, are we?"

Both Walter and Tamura were stunned at the sudden question, but they recomposed themselves as Walter replied.

"Indeed that is the case, sir. It has been confirmed via the observation deck and the observatory. As far as we can tell, your glorious Keep has been wholly transported to a new world. As to how or why, we are unsure."

As Gabriel took in the information Tamura spoke up.

"My lord, if I may ask, how did you know what has happened?"

Gabriel opened the door to the bedroom and looked at her for a moment before responding.

"It was just a hunch. Turns out I was right."

Gabriel enters the bedroom, and ignores the shocked expressions Walter and Tamura wore on their faces as he thinks to himself.

 _'Alisha, my angel. You were right, as usual. I did live long enough to see story and theory become reality. And right now, I'm at a total loss...'_

* * *

 **Land of the Drake Riders, Drake Aviary-1**

The sunlight beamed warm rays down upon a mountainside fortress as a bustle of individuals, wearing black and brown colored leather and lacquer light-armor, were congregating around large stables of iron and stone. They all wore drake shaped medals of adamantite on their chests, and the only way to tell their genders apart through their full helms of lacquer and leather was through their body shapes.

They spoke amongst themselves in low, quiet tones, but considering that there were over a hundred of them doing this in the same area, it generated a cacophony of sounds that bounced off the walls and created an unsettling atmosphere.

As this was going on, two more individuals casually came upon this large group. Unlike the rest, they were not wearing their lacquer/leather helms, revealing a red-haired man, and brown-haired woman, both of whom had blue eyes that were scanning the area with focus and curiosity.

"Everyone seems to be on edge, Relina."

"Yes, husband. Ericah did a fine job filling everyone in on the mission. This tense air is all the proof we need." Relina says tiredly.

Just as they were about to head towards the group, Gatoh and Relina both felt a hand on their respective shoulders. They turned their heads to see their childhood friend and new Drake-Flight Commander Ericah Sabine, smiling down on them warmly.

"Hope you two had lots of fun last night, 'cause things are about to get very busy around here.~" She says to them still wearing her famous grin.

Gatoh and Relina simultaneously looked away from her with blushing faces. The instant they did that Ericah took her hands off their shoulders, and with each hand proceeded to slap their respective buttocks, forcing them to move slightly forward.

"What the...!"

"Hey!"

As they both look back with startled looks Ericah was laughing heartily at their surprise and discomfort.

"Why don't you two put your helms on and join the others?~ Pre-flight briefing and planning will begin soon." She says with a toothy grin.

The husband and wife pair simply nod and follow their instructions with deadpan expressions on their faces. After they had joined the larger groups a horn blow echoes throughout the air, and almost immediately everyone in the area ceases what they were doing. Each rider moves with purpose and discipline as they neatly form up into rows of five and into groups of thirty, with one more in front of each group.

In less than a minute over 150 Drake-Flight soldiers were standing erect in formation awaiting their orders. Drake-Flight Commander Ericah Sabine was in front of them all, and gone was her cheerful expression. She was now the leader of these men and women which mainly consisted of humans, elves, and half-elves. She looked over each formation briefly and seeming satisfied with what she saw, she then proceeded to to straighten her posture even more as she took in a deep breath.

"Flight!" She bellows with a steely and commanding voice.

"Squadron!" The formation leaders bellow as they turned their heads towards their left shoulders to address those behind.

"Parade...REST!" Ericah bellows.

At the final word everyone simultaneously snaps into a new position with their hands locked behind their backs, with their feet 10in (25.4cm) apart. Ericah then turns a full 180-degrees in one smooth motion and takes the same pose as those behind her. The air filled with discipline and focus as not a single soul had moved or twitched as a cool breeze blew through the formation.

After about two minutes had passed the sound of flapping wings echoed in the air and drew ever closer with each sound. Suddenly six adult frost dragons burst through the air and landed in a single row in front of the formation. The frost dragons sat up straight themselves as they gazed upon the formation of troops. They were the last of the former king's children and the strongest elites. In the center was the general in charge of the elite Royal Air Guard, and its strongest member, Ohrly'ress Ailouros.

Unlike his nearby siblings, he wore shining blue-green armor over his already tough scales on his body, wings, and head that had a slight glow about it indicating the armor was enchanted. On his back were six, 7ft (213.4cm) long black pikes that also radiated with power, but much more strongly than the armor. He was a warrior class dragon and specialized in both defensive and offensive attacks using his frost breath in conjunction with his [Martial Arts] to completely pulverize single and multiple opponents.

To the left of Ohrly'ress were his two brothers, Indyh'renth and Fryhz'zett Ailouros. Though weaker than him they both commanded magical abilities up to the 3rd-tier of the arcane school of magic as well as their frost breath. When combined together an entire army wouldn't stand a chance. Their only weaknesses was the traditional frost dragon vulnerability to fire and a lower than average physical attack capability.

To the right were his three sisters, Dah'gapha, Tol'leah, and Yrsae'diosah Ailouros. They were much more balanced ability wise but still potent. Dah'gapha was a pure warrior type who also used [Martial Arts], Tol'leah a cleric using physical attacks combined with divine magic, and Yrsae'diosah being the pure divine magic caster whose ability to heal was the very best in the country, and the only one capable of using the 5th-tier resurrection magic, [Raise Dead]. This fact however, was known only to the queen and the members of the Royal Air Guard, as it was deemed a state secret.

With these six powerful dragons spearheading their efforts, the Royal Air Guard believed themselves to be unbeatable. The only other individual who came even close to the strongest of this group was Ericah Sabine, whom was considered to be number two in strength in the whole country. Again, much of these details were relatively unknown due to the Land of the Drake Riders' isolationist policies and secretive ways.

The armored dragon named Ohrly'ress looked over the formation of troops and huffed. It was as if he was not completely satisfied with the group before him. In fact, he was radiating an aura of arrogance and contempt and made no special efforts to hide it. He then spoke with his voice echoing off the stone walls and mountain in what was considered a 'normal' tone for dragons.

"Listen well riders! I shall not repeat myself! You unworthy ones have been chosen to carry out the will of our queen, on a mission that shall see this nation rise to new heights. As you fools should already know, a fortress of magic was spotted to the south of our borders..."

As he continues to speak his tail sways back and forth as if he was losing patience with his own briefing.

"We are to invade and capture any secrets it may hold. There is nothing more for me to say beyond that. Commander Sabine, you shall prepare the riders to fly out using the Dal'lah'trassah mountain pass. The mists there will ensure we are not seen. I will take the lead in the flight formation. You lot have one hour to move out. Impress me by moving out before then. I shall await at Rahk'Nas Peek. That is all!" At that everyone in formation snaps to attention.

Ohrly'ress addresses his siblings before flying out.

"Yrsae'diosah! Fryhz'zett! With me!" At that last word he takes flight with a great gust of wind that somehow doesn't blow everyone in formation away.

They all had placed their left legs back and leaned forward to meet the gust, whilst also using the martial art [Fortress], seeming to expect his actions.

His siblings on the other hand were more considerate of their troops and opted to dive off a cliff's edge and glided after their brother before flapping their wings to increase their speed and altitude. His remaining siblings all let out very audible sighs of relief at the absence of their brother. Ericah Sabine once again turns around in one smooth motion to address the troops.

"Be at...EASE!"

With that command everyone in formation relaxed their postures while holding their hands behind their back. Some bent their knees slightly to loosen them, while other rotated their necks to ease stiffness. Even the dragons in front were stretching to relieve built up stress. Ericah Sabine for her part was the most relaxed as she folded her arms and addressed everyone in a friendly tone.

"Now that General 'Tight-ass' is no longer within earshot we can _really_ get started."

Her comment elicits more than a few stifled chuckles from everyone present, including the dragons behind her.

"Squadrons One and Three, you will form up on Indyh'renth and Dah'gapha. Squadron Two, you shall form up on me and Tol'leah."

No one seemed to notice that Gatoh and Relina were in Squadron Two as she gave out those assignments.

"To be honest we have no idea what to expect when we get there, so regardless of the general's 'enthusiasm', everyone stick with your wing-mates, cover each other, and take things slow. You all know what to do. And don't worry!~ If any of you men get hurt or killed, I'll be there to comfort you at the mission's end.~" As Ericah says this with a large grin, the female troops chuckle, while two-thirds of the men briefly shiver, and not from the cold.

"Okay people. Get your mounts ready, and let's see if we can get the general to eat his words by getting ready in less than an hour. Move out!" At the command they straighten up, and then suddenly disperse.

The iron gates to the stone stables start opening as if on cue revealing entire rows of winged drakes with saddle, harness, and weapons. The weapons ranged from swords and small shields fit more for parrying than blocking, and bows with quivers full of enchanted arrows. In fact, as they all moved to each drake in the darkened area, it became clear that all of their gear was enchanted with magic.

This was one of the reasons why the Royal Air Guard was so feared and respected. They were a unit that was wholly equipped with the arsenal of magical items, weapons, and gear that the former royal family had built up over the last two centuries. Even the adamantite drake medals they wore on their chests were enchanted with protection magic.

As the drake riders were hurriedly getting to their mounts, Ericah Sabine was watching from her original position. The frost dragon Tol'leah was by her side while the other two siblings had flown to nearby stone perches to await their assigned drake flights. Tol'leah lowered her head to Ericah's level and spoke in a deep, but soft and smoothing voice.

"Are you worried for your friends, Ericah?"

"Yeah, I am. The queen promoted them a little too quickly. A lot'a people seem ta' think she just does things on a whim, but you an' me? We know better. I don't know what her game is, but I know she's up to something." Ericah says with seriousness in her voice.

"That is why you had them assigned to you. To keep them close and safe, right?" The dragon Tol'leah says with a smile.

Ericah responds with a soft chuckle before speaking.

"Too obvious, huh? I am just a simple beastman after all.~" She says while sticking her tongue out to the dragon at her side.

"Hmph. Anyone who thinks that of you is a fool, Cherry Picker." The dragon says with a warm smile.

"Hmmm. Cherries...~" Ericah says in a sultry fashion, causing the dragon next to her to chuckle.

"I don't think I will ever understand your preoccupation with humanoid males."

"Heh. Too bad. Maybe if ya' had a magic item to shrink you down ta' size, I could show ya' what all the fuss is about." Ericah says with a wink.

"He he he. Oh, little Ericah. You never give up, do you?" Tol'leah says tiredly.

"Nope!~" Ericah responds with a grin before looking back to the stables.

She has a proud look on her face as she turns back to her dragonic friend.

"Well, let's get ready. They seem to be almost finished." She says with a proud smile.

After roughly 35 minutes all 150 drakes with their riders were filling the sky and heading south. These men and women were all too oblivious to the situation that awaited them at their destination.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th Floor, Sanctuary of Ianuaria**

Gabriel was sitting in the center of a spacious white examination room. He was dressed in a partial suit that was emerald in color with a white button-up shirt that was undone at the moment, with his matching coat and over-coat neatly placed nearby on a table.

He appeared to be sitting in his chair comfortably with his right hand closed in a fist and supporting his head leaning to the right on an armrest. Only he and an elven nurse with lavender hair and blushing cheeks were in the room, as she was tending to him Gabriel was in thought.

 _'I think I finally understand why so many of my friends over the last two centuries have complained about doctor's visits. I've been here for maybe 10 minutes and I feel like I want to break something.'_

As Gabriel let out a tired sigh he noticed that the elven nurse to his side was nervous and was continually blushing. It didn't affect her duties in the slightest, but as he looked upon her he began to realize the cause.

 _'This elf-nurse girl. The way she's been behaving ever since she was left alone with me, it's obvious I have another "Florence Nightingale effect" candidate here. Hell, I noticed similar reactions from almost all the beings here. If I remember correctly, Joseph thought it would be a funny detail to write in that all the medical NPCs would have that quirk. Alisha laughed at it and agreed, and at the time I didn't care. Though now I wish he was here, so I could dislocate his jaw for that. I don't mind the attention under normal circumstances, but right now I am hardly in the mood.'_

The 'Florence Nightingale effect' Gabriel refers to is the situation where a caregiver can develop romantic and/or sexual feelings for the patient under their care, regardless of the amount of contact or communication that has taken place. Gabriel's friend Joseph was a fan of this concept as he had actually experienced it himself. Now, his NPCs were reflecting that without them realizing it.

Unbeknownst to Gabriel, the nurse by his side had previously tended to him, whilst he was unconscious during his previous stay in the Sanctuary of Ianuaria's infirmary. She beamed with happiness that her master was well and back on his feet, although she was concerned after seeing her lord's displeased countenance. After a minute of internal struggle with herself she decided to speak up in a low and soft tone of voice.

"Um, my lord? May I ask a question?"

He lifts his head and looks at her questioningly in response.

"Hmm? Yes, girl? Um... Kalila, correct?" He says after a moment of thought to place her name with her face.

"Yes, my lord. I am honored you would remember the name of a lowly nurse like me." She says as her eyes glaze over in happiness and joy.

Gabriel saw this and couldn't help but let out a small smile.

 _'I have to admit, the way she acts is cute, and heartwarming even. Although the personalities are completely different, she's like Addison-Rei in the genuine and pure desire in wanting to help. Ah~ah. Maybe I should lighten up a little when around them. They're not at fault for the messes I have to deal with.'_

"Think nothing of it, and don't call yourself, 'lowly'. It offends me. Never forget you do an important job here." Gabriel says in a firm, but soft tone.

"YES! I shall etch into my heart!" She says after standing straight at attention and taking a bow.

"He he. You can relax, Kalila. Now then, what's your question?" He says in a light chuckle.

"Yes! *ahem* I was just wondering if something has happened my lord. You seem... deeply troubled." She says as she places her right hand on his left.

Gabriel thinks to himself as he looks at her.

 _'Well, she's an observant young girl. Addison-Rei too. Not quite as simple as I thought. I'll look into that later. Right now though...'_

As his thoughts trail off, Gabriel places his right now on hers and he forces a small smile on his face as he speaks.

"As much as I appreciate it, right now I'd rather not discuss it. However, thank you Kalila for your concern. I will remember it."

He briefly tightens his hand on hers to communicate his sincerity. When he does her face turns as red as a strawberry, with her thoughts going into turmoil.

 _'Kyaa! Lord Gabriel is so kind and forgiving! I...I must leave before I lose control of myself.'_ She thinks to herself as her legs were fidgeting and rubbing against each other as if in discomfort.

Gabriel cocks his eyebrow as he notices this and then releases his hand from hers.

The moment he does so she shoots up, takes a bow thanking her master for his words and was quickly walking towards the exit. Before she could leave Gabriel speaks to her in a soft and calm tone.

"Oh, one thing Kalila. Find someplace a little more comfortable and private than a restroom to take care of your... business."

She squeaks with a sound like a hiccup in surprise when she turns around red-faced to look at her master. Gabriel closes his eyes and gave her a knowing smile as a reply. Kalila then stammers as she struggled to respond.

"I...um...but...that is..." She takes a deep breath before taking a bow. "Thank you very much!"

The elf nurse Kalila then practically ran out the door in a flustered state.

 _'Kyaa!~ So embarrassing! Lord Gabriel saw right through me. Must go and use my lord's advice. Can't focus right now!~'_ She thinks to herself as she runs down the hall at top speed, with all her fellow nurses looking at her with confused looks.

Back in the examination room Gabriel still has his eyes closed as he waits in his seat with a blank facial expression and sighs.

"Alisha..." He says as he opens his eyes with the sadness still very much there.

He rubs his eyes and shakes his head as if to banish his thoughts of Alisha as he continues a different line of thinking.

 _'Alright, I have to focus. As impossible as it seemed at first, everything is real including the guild-base. From the looks of things the NPCs have gained true life and sentience, and top it all off, if what Tamura and Walter told me is true, then we're in a different world entirely. That leaves the question, how the hell did this happen? I...I don't remember much after Alisha's death. Just... white, then pain, and then...'_

Gabriel grits his teeth as he recalls his attempted suicide, but he presses on as he organizes his thoughts.

 _'Damn it. I've got to put that aside for now. I do know one thing from what little I have learned; blood magic didn't do this. To do something like this, to materialize all this from a virtual space into reality is several orders of magnitude above what blood magic alone can do. It would require the sacrifice of millions to even think of attempting it. However, for some reason my instincts are telling me that didn't happen here. Alisha long ago taught me to trust my instincts and I plan on doing precisely that...'_

Just then Gabriel is torn from his thoughts when he hears the side door to the room open. He hardens his facial expression before the new arrivals enter so as to take on a more commanding presence.

Walking in a line into the examination room in order were the NPCs Walter Bernard Montgomery, Tamura Oakenfold, Charon Zobach, and Althia Tanos. They then lined up in front of Gabriel and prostrated themselves before him like subjects greeting their king on his throne and in unison they spoke.

"Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon, Master of Dracon's Keep and Leader of the High Lords, we present ourselves to you for judgement. We allowed harm to come to your person, and even took direct action that brought harm to you. We can offer nothing but our apologies as we await your judgement."

Gabriel furrowed his brows as he took in everything they said and thought to himself.

 _'Ugh, fer crying out loud. They are beyond serious about this. If the lore we built for them is anything to go by I should have expected this. Seeing is believing I suppose. Still, I want this nonsense done with so I can get a full picture of everything that has happened.'_

"All of you, stand and raise your heads."

With perfectly timed movements they obeyed.

"Doctor Althia Tanos, step to the side away from the rest." She does as instructed and stands by awaiting further orders.

Gabriel sighs as if exhausted by the whole scene before him.

"Now then, let's get a few things out of the way here and now. All of you are guilty of nothing. As I understand it I was not in my right mind, and so you all did what you had to and what was necessary. That comes with one's duties. Do you understand? There is nothing to apologize for and there's nothing to forgive." Gabriel says with a soft smile.

The NPCs in front of Gabriel went through a series of facial expressions that ranged from confusion, to relief, to happiness. Except for Charon, whose face was hidden in his full helm that expelled air from its two ports. The rest were wiping tears from their faces as each were giving thanks in their own way while taking a bow.

"Sir, no words I can use can express the joy I feel at your absolution of our actions." Walter says.

"Thank you my creator. It sets my mind at ease knowing we did not fail you." Charon says as air jets out of the exhaust ports in his helm again.

"My lord, I...thank you. Truly, you are as kind as Lady Alisha often said you were." Tamura says.

Gabriel nods to them with a brief smile as his thoughts once again goes to the scene in front of him.

 _'Oy. It's a good thing we wrote them to view us as great, and powerful "High Lords" instead of something akin to gods or "Supreme Beings". That would have complicated things even more, and possibly for the worst. Now that I think about it, Momonga's guild did that when they wrote the lore for their base. Also makes me wonder what old "bonehead" is doing right now. Did he ever take my advice and grow a pair, or is he still that shy and timid Japanese kid? Hmm. Now that I think about it, am I the only one that was brought here? Feh! Questions for later. I have to focus on the here and now.'_

"Be at ease, all of you. Now then, Doctor Tanos I want a full briefing about everything that has happened since I was brought in the first time. I want every detail, no matter how small. Understood?" Gabriel says with a look of hard and stern focus in his eyes.

"By your command, Lord Gabriel." She responds with her own look of focus and singular determination as she was more than ready to answer her master's will.

For the next half-hour, Doctor Tanos filled Gabriel in on everything he missed from his treatment, to his lowered levels, to the enchanted nano-machines in his system, to his violent awakening, and their efforts to help him back to his right mind. (Sum total of events in CH.3)

As he listened to the summation of events from the angelic doctor, Gabriel glanced out the corner of his left eye to quickly glance at the other three NPCs in the room. What he saw made his thoughts wonder briefly.

 _'Hm. Walter, Tamura, and Charon seem tense. They look like they are ready to respond to a combat situation. I don't blame them for being ill-at-ease around me. The last time I was a feral/suicidal animal. Small wonder that they still trust me all...'_

As the doctor concludes her report with their plan to use Addison-Rei and an inhibitor potion as a means to ensure a stable reaction from him, Gabriel interrupts with a raised hand that silences her immediately.

"About Addison-Rei doctor, how is she doing?" He asks in a concerned tone of voice.

The angelic doctor's cheeks blush to a rosy-red as she speaks in a formal tone.

"Yes, my lord. She is...fine. She was given some mild treatments for dehydration and exhaustion. Currently, she is sleeping comfortably in her dormitory and is being watched over by a fellow nurse named Mina." She says with her checks still blushing.

"Hm. Good. Then make sure she gets the next few days off. She went above and beyond her duties, so as far as I'm concerned, she's earned it." Gabriel says as he notices that both Tamura and Althia had faces as red as tomatoes that they quickly try to hide with a bow.

Walter simply chuckles, while Charon seemed indifferent.

"Thank you for the briefing doctor. I feel I have a better grasp of what has happened. Now then, I have some questions. First of all, you said my level was reduced from level 100 to 95. And yet, in your report, you mentioned how I was briefly faster than Walter in our first scuffle, and how I briefly overpowered Charon when he tried to pin me with his blade in my frenzied state. Tell me, if I am at a lower level, then how were these events possible?"

Gabriel asks his question with both curiosity and doubt in his eyes, while the three NPCs seemed pensive. Indeed, it seemed a question that had been overlooked with all that had happened. Doctor Althia smiled like a teacher who was proud that a good question was finally asked of the class. She reaches behind her desk and grabs a flat crystal tablet. After tapping a few symbols on it the object lights up. She walks up to Gabriel with it in hand ready to give an explanation, and as she does so Gabriel's thoughts run at high speeds.

 _'Wait a second. Is that... a magical tablet? As I recall Felix, our resident artist along with Alisha, thought it would be "cool" and "different" if we had tech items mixed in with the magical/fantasy/medieval setting. Both Alisha and I agreed and so we gave him the funds to purchase the necessary [Cash Shop] items to create them. Everything from magical tablets, computers, and phones were made as props and decorations, and that's all they were. Now, they're real and usable?'_

Gabriel is brought out of his thoughts as Althia begins her explanations, with an almost gleeful expression on her face.

"Your question is an excellent one my lord. As expected of our master. You see, during the incident in question, you still had a [Sensor Crystal] on your forehead. As you are no doubt aware, they take real-time readings of one's stats for checks during treatment. Before yours was destroyed by a certain someone's lightning attack..."

Althia shoots Tamura a dirty look as she pauses her explanation, with Tamura shooting her a pouting face that said, 'Not my fault!'

"...it transmitted some interesting data. As you can see here, all your stats were in a state of flux. None of them could be read properly. However, during your brief battles they not only stabilized, but they actually adapted to your situation! If you needed to be faster, your strength and other stats dropped while your speed was boosted three-fold! If you needed to be stronger, all your other stats dropped like a stone to boost your strength to push back! It's... fascinating! I have never seen anything like it!" Althia completes your explanation excitedly as her wings twitched. Like a child that found a new toy to play with.

The three NPCs in the room seemed shocked at the revelation the doctor dropped, whilst Gabriel seemed unmoved as he cupped his chin in thought and took the time to digest the new information given.

 _'Alright. This is... bizarre. I could accept that maybe I was transported to another world in my_ _YGGDRASIL avatar, but what she just described sounds nothing like it. It sounds more like the abilities my original body had! My bond with Alisha had given me a number of physical gifts thanks to her blood magic, and what she just described was almost exactly like that! If that is the case, then wha...'_ Gabriel's eyes widen as if he had a epiphany.

"Doctor! Show me the images of the nano-machines in my blood!"

Althia and the other NPCs were visibly startled by Gabriel's sudden outburst after he had been so quiet and composed.

They hesitated for a moment, but Althia recomposed herself, and after tapping a few symbols on her [Crystal Tablet] she brought up the images he wanted and showed it to him. Gabriel took the tablet from Althia's hands, startling her, and looked long and hard at the screen as he sank deep into thought once again.

 _'These nano-machines... look different from the ones I know. Did they get altered? No, that can't be it. They look too different for it to be as simple as that. From what I remember, I couldn't log out the night of the...'_ In that instant, Gabriel's anger flared like a bonfire ignited with gasoline as his right hand clenched the armrest so hard it visibly cracked under the pressure.

Althia backed away in fear at the action, while the three guardians watched on in worry over what had agitated their master. Gabriel ignored them as he studied the tablet with barely contained fury.

 _'That's it! They injected us with secondary nano-machines that latched on to the ones we already had! No other explanation fits! But... if that's the case, then something went wrong. Odds are they used nano-machines on us that were powered by blood magic to keep us trapped. But we never told anyone ours also became powered with blood magic. If that is so, then these new ones are probably an amalgamation of the two. It also explains why Althia couldn't identify the magic used by them. The use of blood magic was real world and not_ _YGGDRASIL...'_

Gabriel started to calm down as he went through his thoughts, and conclusions were lighting up his mind like a Christmas tree. The NPCs noticed him calming down and slowly relaxed as well. Still, they let their master ponder in silence, sensing he was deep in thought and did not want to risk him being set off.

 _'So then, two similar, but different types of nano-machines, both enchanted with blood magic combine to create something new. Wonderful theory, but if this is my_ _YGGDRASIL avatar, then it doesn't explain why they are still inside me. Hold on. Alisha used to say that in blood magic, and in magical theory, if certain objects achieve levels resonance and synchronize with each other... then that means my actual body merged with my_ _YGGDRASIL avatar?! It's too absurd, but my instincts are telling me it might be true. After all, my avatar was a virtual duplicate of my actual body, right down to the birthmark on my...'_

Just as Gabriel's thoughts began to wonder, he felt the fearful eyes of the NPCs upon him. He looked at the armrest he had shattered and sighed tiredly as he spoke.

"My apologies for frightening you all. I remembered something that deeply troubled and angered me. Please, be at ease." He says while motioning to Althia to retake her tablet.

She hesitantly walks forward but in the end complies. Gabriel gives Althia a warm smile and that seemed all that was needed to put her and the other NPCs at ease once more. Althia speaks with concern in her voice as she addresses Gabriel.

"Master, is there anything else you require?"

"No doctor, thank you. You have done an outstanding job, and I am certain I can speak for my old friend and your creator Joseph, when I say that you have more than lived up to your purpose."

The Head Doctor's face turns several shades of red at the praise she was showered with by her master. Her wings started to tense and quiver with what could be described as pure joy and elation. Her mouth started to contort into a grin but then stopped halfway and collected herself. She took a graceful bow of appreciation as she addressed her master.

"No words of mine can adequately convey the blissful feelings your kind words have bestowed upon me. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you my Lord Gabriel."

He looks at her for a moment, and sees that she truly meant every word. He gets up from his seat and places his right hand on her shoulder. At first she tensed up, but as she looks up she sees Gabriel smiling down on her and her body quivers in delight knowing that smiling was for her.

"Now, please leave us, doctor. There are things I must discuss with the guardians here." Gabriel says softly, but sternly to indicate that it was serious.

Althia picked up on the message right away and with one last bow she quickly exited the room. Gabriel went to a nearby table and collected the emerald colored green coat and overcoat that matched his suit. The three guardians silently stood before him in a line ready to hear their master's commands. Gabriel's countenance was stern and serious as he addressed them.

"Charon, as I understand it my [Armor of the Emerald Dragon] has gone missing, but the rest of my gear was recovered. Bring them here." He says sternly as he thinks to himself.

 _'Add that to a long list of mysteries. Everything else became real, so that begs the question; where did it go!?'_

"At once my lord." Charon takes a bow with his right hand over his chest, and then disappears in a flash of shadow.

Just then, Walter speaks as he pushes up his glasses.

"Pardon me, sir. But if I might ask, what do you intend to do?" He asks with a neutral facial expression that could be best described as a, 'poker face'.

"A lot has happened Walter, and I need to clear my mind. Therefore, as soon as Charon returns I will be going out the front gates to see this foreign mountain range for myself. The open skies and fresh air will do me good." Gabriel still has his stern expression, but a hint of fatigue is seen by both Tamura and Walter.

Tamura speaks up in a soft and gentle tone.

"Forgive me my lord, but would it not be best for you to rest for the time being?" She says with concern for Gabriel clearly evident.

"Don't misunderstand. I fully intend to get some rest, but it will be after I have taken my little walk." Gabriel says flatly.

"Understood, sir. Then might we accompany you on your walk to ensure your safety in this unknown world?" Walter says with his poker face still present.

Gabriel has his own poker face on as he thinks to himself.

 _'Ensure on my safety? Don't try to bullshit me. I saw how you two were flinching at every other outburst I had. Although, he's got a point. This is an unknown world, with an unknown set of rules, and currently no way of telling what is out there. Oh, Alisha. You created some clever kids, didn't you?'_

"Very well, Walter. Both you and Tamura may escort me." They both take a bow as Gabriel finishes that sentence.

Shortly after Charon reappears beside them, startling Tamura, who immediately starts to chastise him.

"Charon! Oh! Would you PLEASE stop doing that!? It really gets on my nerves."

"My apologies. I did not realize that our beautiful and fierce Vice-Commander could be so easily startled by such a simple ability." Charon says nonchalantly as air escapes his helmet vents.

"Oh, you...!"

Tamura was going to retort but was stopped as Walter placed both hands up in front of them.

"My dear compatriots, must I remind you that you are in the presence of our High Lord Gabriel, master of the very Keep we all call home?"

It was then they reacted like someone had dropped a bucket of cold water on their heads. Both Charon and Tamura straightened themselves and bowed and apologized in unison. While they were both expecting a reprimand of some sort, what they received was not within their expectations.

"It's fine Walter. It does not bother me right now."

All three guardians were stunned as Gabriel's statement was not what they expected. Gabriel thinks to himself as they look upon him dumbfoundedly.

 _'That was actually...refreshing. It reminded me how Alisha and I would interact with each other and some of the other guild-mates. It seems that they not only remember things from before all this, but have taken on some of the personality traits of their creators and the guild-members. Something else to consider. Now then...'_

They did not have time to mull as he ordered Charon to produce his equipment. With a wave of his hands Charon produced various items that slowly floated down via a portal. Gabriel's remaining panoply consisted of an amulet, ten rings, a black sash, and his Divine Class sword, [Krysseatheum].

He walked over to the table and methodically placed every ring on its correct finger, hung his amulet around his neck and under his shirt, wrapped the sash around his waist, and placed his sword on his back. When he did so a sheath and harness materialized to hold the blade in place. Gabriel turned to address the guardians once his preparations were complete.

"Walter, Tamura. You two meet me at the front gate in one hour. I shall be heading to the dining hall first. Charon, while we are out I want you to maintain watch over the Keep. Understood?"

All three of the NPCs bow in unison as they acknowledge their master's orders, and in a blue flash Gabriel teleports out of the examination room. Once he was gone the NPCs stand straight up and stare into space for a moment. Walter then speaks as he pushes his glasses up.

"Well, opinions everyone?" He says flatly.

"Umu. He seems a bit different from what I remember." Charon says in a low tone as air escapes his helm.

"Of course he's different! He just lost his bondmate, our creator, and queen! Think a little before you speak!" Tamura yells out with wrath in her voice as a gray and white aura envelops her body.

She grits her teeth and tightens the grip on her staff so hard that they both make audible cracking sounds. Charon actually stumbles back in surprise and fear at her actions. For a moment it seemed a fight would break out in the exam room but then Walter stepped in between them.

"Tamura, please calm down. It will do no one any good for a fight to break out. Also, while it is true what you say, that is not the only thing Charon was referring to."

Walter's words had an immediate impact on her as she relaxes her posture completely.

"I'm sure you noticed it as well. His energy, his presence, and even his voice seemed a bit different. Without question it is Lord Gabriel, but I also felt as if there was something else in the room with us. It is... difficult to put into words."

The effect of Walter's words were immediate as Tamura sank into thought. She then looked back up at her fellow guardians with focus.

"Right now it does not matter and it does not change the plan we all agreed to. Lady Alisha wanted nothing more than for Lord Gabriel to be safe and happy, and as long as it is within our power we will do just that. So for now we'll stick to the plan and watch over him and deal with whatever new situations arise. Agreed?"

Walter and Charon looked at each other for only a moment, and then back to Tamura as they give her a nod in the affirmative.

* * *

Precisely one hour later Gabriel was walking through a long stretch of hallway that was a connecting passage to the gate. The halls were made of shining, polished stone, quartz-like materials that reflected the light cast from overhead, and battlements that overlooked the large open areas of the beginning sections of the 1st Floor of Dracon's Keep. If someone needed to give a simple description of the place that Gabriel now walked through, then it would be in the vein of, 'domed castle walls'.

 _'It would be more convenient if the [Guild Ring] could take me to the front entrance in one go but that is a small complaint. Seeing all of this become real is truly fantastic. And so was the food in the dining hall. Best food I've ever had in my life, and after 232 years, that is saying something. I still feel "off" though. Even if my theory is right and my two bodies somehow merged, it still doesn't explain some oddities.'_

Gabriel continues to walk through the halls deep in thought as he cups his chin with his right hand.

 _'I've noticed some changes ever since I woke up. First off, my emotions have become a bit more unstable. Growing up I was always an angry kid, but after my bond with Alisha all that had softened for the most part. She was one of the most serene people I ever knew, and that had played a huge part in my emotional stability. Now? It feels like all my negative emotions are back with a vengeance. I have to keep checking myself to make sure I don't snap something or someone in half!'_

Suddenly he starts breathing erratically, his heart beating so hard one could see it pulsing under his skin if he had his shirt and coats off. Gabriel stops and after a moment of focusing on his breathing, his heart rate returns to normal, and he continues walking forward, but more slowly this time.

 _'Damn it! There it goes again! Almost lost control of myself. With the strength of this new body I have to be careful.'_ *sighs tiredly*

 _'Now then, there's also an increase in appetite. I ate enough food for seven whole meals and still felt like I had room for seconds and desert! I could put away a lot of food before, but this is just ridiculous. What is even more disturbing is an increase in libido. I had a strong drive already, thanks again to my bond, but I can feel it is even more potent! I had to stop myself from ripping off my clothes and bedding every female I saw in here. Thank Christ I have discipline in that area. Although the female NPCs here seem more than eager to fulfill that particular duty, I just don't trust myself or these changes right now...'_

Gabriel was then pulled away from his thoughts when he noticed that he was surrounded by a force of nearly 500 Golem Knights. These golems were higher class types equipped with a variety of different weapons from the standard sword/shield combo, broadswords, pikes, and bows/arrows.

Golem Knights comprised the bulk of forces to be encountered on the 1st floor, with the weakest types rated at lvl-50. Gabriel saw Tamura and Walter standing near the front gate and thought to himself.

 _'I knew kings of the past had to put up with this sort of thing, but now I am starting to fully appreciate just how obnoxious it is. Even for a security detail, this is a bit much for a quick walk outside. Perhaps I should be grateful for such loyalty and devotion. But still...'_

As Gabriel reached Tamura and Walter they both took a bow, and when they did the noise thundered through the halls as all 500 Golem Knights simultaneously took a bow and got back up again. Gabriel winced slightly in annoyance at the noise and the scene as he spoke.

"You two, although I am pleased by your loyalty let me make something clear to you once more. I am simply going out for a short walk. These Golem Knights will remain in this hall on standby, until they are actually needed. Am I understood?"

Both Walter and Tamura had looks of surprise and uncertainty as they looked at each other and then back to their master as Walter spoke up.

"Begging your pardon sir, but as the last of the High Lords in your Keep, it is our sworn duty to ensure your safety. That being the case, would it not be best to..."

Walter was halted mid-sentence as Gabriel raised his hand to silence him.

"I know what you are going to say Walter, but I have made my decision. If anything should happen we'll use our rings to teleport and have these forces cover us. End of discussion." Gabriel says curtly, losing patience for the situation over something as simple as taking a walk.

The two NPCs had looks of uncertainty and discomfort as they parsed their orders, and then had looks of defeat as they relented, bowed, and spoke in unison.

"By your command, Lord Gabriel."

"Now then, open the gates." As soon as he said those words they slowly started to open.

Without waiting on the NPCs to follow Gabriel stepped out of the gates of the Keep. Walking barely a dozen feet forward (365.8cm), he was struck motionless by the sight before him. A pristine range of white peaks and gray mountains greeted him with a cool breeze flowing through the air carrying droplets of milky-white snow.

It was a semi-cloudy sky with golden beams of sunlight occasionally breaking through to shine down on him, and the mountains that literally sparkled as they reflected the rays of the sun.

In that instant, Gabriel suddenly felt lighter, and at peace for the first time since he awakened. He took in several deep breaths of the fresh mountain air and felt an inexorable calm wash over him. For a brief instant, he forgot all the worries and pain that had weighed down his heart and soul, and he smiled a real, honest smile that was as radiant as the sunlight that was caressing his face.

Walter and Tamura were watching their master from the side and were filled with awe and joy at seeing their lord in such a state. In their eyes, he became a beautiful angel and in that moment, they too forgot all their recent worries.

In what seemed like hours, Gabriel finally came to and looked around. He saw the two NPCs gazing at him with smiles and sparkling eyes, and for a moment it made him chuckle. He walked forward and now paid greater attention to his surroundings. The front of the gates was a snowy platform approximately 85ft (2,591cm) in length and width.

He turned around and got a greater understanding of the scale of Dracon's Keep as it extended further into the sky and occupied enough space to easily fill more than one mountain peak. From his limited view he couldn't begin to to estimate the scale as its towers glistened in the rays of the sun.

In truth he did not want to. He already knew the scale of the Keep's interior and knew that the exterior would most likely be proportionally ridiculous. As he was lost in thought, Tamura's soft voice awakened him.

"It is a beautiful sight, is it not my lord?" She says as she smiles warmly.

"Yes, it most certainly is. *takes a deep breath* Though the air is a little thin up here, it is no less peaceful." Gabriel says as he turns around and faces the gates of his Keep.

"Your Keep shines beautifully in this foreign sky, sir." Walter says smiling also.

"It does indeed, Walter. It does indeed." Gabriel says as he turns back around and walks a few for feet forward.

As he continues to take in the view, Gabriel's facial expression hardens and becomes serious. The air around him warms slightly as his breathing increases and his hand slowly reaches up to his chest. The NPCs start to become concerned as they see this and were both asking questions of Gabriel's well-being. He was however lost in his own thoughts as their voices didn't even register with him.

 _'Wh...What is this?! This...is different from what I have been feeling lately. I feel like my heart is beating in my skull. Wait...that's not my heartbeat. What is that?! It feels like... a presence? Multiple presences in fact. Ugh. My blood...feels hot in my veins. Something is coming. Is it... due north? I...I don't trust this, but I'd be a fool to ignore it as well'_

Gabriel calms his breathing and turns to the worried NPCs behind him.

"Walter. Tamura. I feel something may be approaching the Keep. Multiple something's in fact."

As soon as Gabriel finished speaking the facial expressions of his NPCs hardened and became laser-focused.

"My lord, should we not follow the 'Rules of Engagement' set down and await within the Keep for any invading force?" Tamura asks in an official manner.

Gabriel cocks an eyebrow at the question.

 _'The "Rules of Engagement"? Ah. I see. Alisha wrote that in the lore of the Keep so it wouldn't seem strange for the NPCs to never leave the base. Her love of role-playing at work again.'_

"No. As of this moment, I am making an exception as this is a special case. If my instincts are correct, we have some time before we can expect visitors."

Gabriel takes only a moment of consideration before issuing orders.

"If they are natives of this world, it gives us a chance to make contact and gather some much needed information. Even if they are not, we still need to make contact for the same reasons. Walter, I want you to order some of our forces capable of flight to sortie, equipped with items suitable for stealth and invisibility. They are to take to the skies to scout the area and act as skirmishers if necessary. Have the guardian of the 2nd-floor take direct command, but ensure she does not act without word given. Now go!"

Walter takes a bow and immediately uses his ring to teleport to carry out his tasks, as Gabriel turns to Tamura to begin giving her orders.

"Tamura, we shall remain to the front of the gates to welcome are visitors, and if we need to, draw them in. I want you to summon at least a dozen Shadow Demons and have them lay in wait around the area. They are to take no action. They are to strictly observe, report, and if necessary, act as decoys. Also, use [Message] and have Charon on standby, just in case his abilities become necessary. In addition, notify Head Doctor Althia Tanos and have the infirmary placed on alert. Lastly, have the Golem Knights be at the ready in case immediate reinforcements are required. Any questions?"

At first, Tamura was in shock and awe. Not too long ago her master was a mess of grief, loss, pain, and even outright madness. Now, he was a calculating tactician and a commander. She could not help but grin as she shook her head and carried out her orders with efficiency and zeal. Meanwhile, Gabriel mulled over the current situation.

 _'That should take care of the bare minimum requirements. Still, these feelings I'm getting... it's numerous to be sure, but at the same time, it's like... whatever is coming doesn't feel like a threat. Whatever the case may be, I won't assume anything until the scouts can give me some reports on what we're dealing with.'_

* * *

Roughly 15 minutes away from Gabriel's position, a large formation of drakes with riders emerge from between a set of mountain peaks. Unless one's sight was above them or at the same level as them, then their approach would've been perfectly concealed. At the head of the formation were three frost dragons, with the one in the center fully armored.

The General of the Royal Air Guard, Ohrly'ress Ailouros, had a full grin on his face as soon as they emerged from the mountain pass. He turned his head slightly to the left to address his sibling, Fryhz'zett.

"Use your [Message] magic to signal the rest, Fryhz'zett. We are almost there." As he speaks, his tone was clearly filled with condescension and contempt.

"Yes. Right away, general.~" The dragon Fryhz'zett replies with a flighty, almost sarcastic tone that goes completely unnoticed as he backs away to carry out his orders.

The sister in the group, Yrsae'diosah, rolls her eyes at the display before her, while Ohrly'ress continues to have a grin on his face as he thinks to himself.

 _'Yes, it won't be long now. Soon the queen's plan will be set into motion, and I shall finally get my rightful rewards. Ah! Too bad my dear siblings. You won't be around to reap the blissful rewards she can offer.'_

While he was in thought, his sister at his side, Yrsae'diosah calls out to him.

"Brother? Brother. Brother!" She says almost desperate to get his attention.

"Silence! Right now I am NOT your brother, but your general! Address me as such again and I will tear one of your wings off!" Ohrly'ress says as he roars back at his sister with his venom and spite completely unfiltered.

"That doesn't matter now, fool! Use your dragonic senses! Can't you feel that?!" She says almost completely unfazed by his threats, but is instead more flustered over something else.

"YOU DARE!? I will...!"

Ohrly'ress' tirade suddenly halted as he focuses his vision to the front with a keen, almost predatory focus as he growls.

 _'Hmph. My insolent little sister was right. I sense something. It is faint, but...powerful.'_

The frost dragon's muscles begin to shiver ever so slightly, as if he had received a chill. Such a thing should be impossible for a frost dragon, which means it was an impulse of fear.

 _'NO! I have come too far now! Even if there is another dragon at our destination, as soon as the queen's plan is set into motion, it will no longer matter.'_

Ohrly'ress breaks from his thoughts to address his sister.

"Humph! I will forgive your tone this time, as you felt that presence and were merely trying to inform your superior as quickly as possible. But I will tell you this now sister, as a mission ordered by the queen, turning back now is no longer possible. Understand?" He says with a growl.

His sister Yrsae'diosah glares at his back with a combination of anger, fear, and frustration in her eyes.

 _'You damned fool! It is much more than just another dragon. I can feel it! We all will die if we go there!'_ She thinks to herself, as if pleading for her foolish brother to change his mind.

* * *

In front of the gates of Dracon's Keep, Gabriel and Tamura awaited the arrival of the forces that were to come. Gabriel stood tall and proud with his arms folded while Tamura stood to the side with her right hand placed over her right temple. After a few minutes she walked over to her master and spoke.

"My lord. The advanced scouts have reported in. It was indeed as you said. There is a large aerial force headed our way."

"Hm. Good work. Now, tell me, what are we facing here?"

"Yes, my lord. The scouts reported a force of six frost dragons and 150 drakes with riders of human and elven origin, and at least one feline-type beastman. The riders seemed to be primarily composed of warriors, while the frost dragons' potential classes and abilities were yet to be identified." Tamura said in an official manner.

"I see. Were they able to get any estimates on their potential strength?" Gabriel asked in a commanding tone.

Tamura at first didn't respond. Instead her cheeks started to blush as if in some kind of embarrassment. From the corner of his left eye Gabriel saw this and cocked his eyebrow in confusion. Tamura noticed this and then spoke up with her cheeks still reddened.

"Forgive me my lord. I shouldn't have delayed. It's just that...well. The scouts reports are...not what we were expecting."

"Oh? Elaborate."

"It seems this force is extremely weak in nature. The strongest among them is an armored frost dragon whose strength is estimated at lvl-42. From there, the feline-type beastman was the second strongest, estimated to be at lvl-40, while the rest of the frost dragons ranged from levels 35 through 39. The drakes were estimated to range from levels 25 through 30, while their riders were scaled to levels 20 through 25." As Tamura completed her report she still had a look of embarrassment on her face, tinged with disappointment.

Gabriel for his part was simply taken aback as he processed the new information.

 _'...Is this the standard of strength in this world? If so, then I completely overreacted. Or maybe there is more to this. Underestimating a potential foe is one of the most foolish things you can do, whether it is in a game or in real-life.'_

"Tamura, tell the scouts to continue shadowing them. Also, most importantly of all, don't let your guard down. Always remember to never underestimate a potential opponent." Gabriel says with conviction and confidence.

Tamura beams with joy after receiving her lord's instruction and carries out his orders.

A few minutes later, both of them could see the small flying army heading right towards them. It only takes an additional 5 minutes after that for the full force of the drake flight to appear literally on his doorstep. First came the armored frost dragon that was reported earlier and two more that were obviously his escorts. Then two more landed to his right, and one more to his left with the feline-type beastman.

Almost half the drake force landed and took up a 'U' formation surrounding Gabriel, Tamura, and the front entrance of the Keep. The rest were circling and hovering overhead like vultures awaiting their next meal. Both Gabriel and Tamura were unmoved by the display and looked like the picture of calm.

The dragon, Ohrly'ress Ailouros, and his siblings looked around the area in confusion as they surveyed the environment. Ohrly'ress growled as his thoughts became agitated.

 _'Where is the dragon I sensed?! I see nothing but this oddly dressed human male and a female that smells like a human/elf halfling. I still sense the presence, but it feels like it's just hanging in the air without a source. Was it some sort of trick then? To keep dragons away?! If so then clever it is. I can smell the priceless riches they wear. It makes my dragonic blood boil. Good thing I am after much more than riches.'_ The dragon Ohrly'ress grins at that last thought.

On his side were a great deal of inquisitive and curious stares, all sizing up both Gabriel and Tamura. One of those stairs was coming from Ericah Sabine as she stared at Gabriel with curiosity and growing interest.

 _'Hmm. He's a fine looking man. Such broad shoulders, and such an intense gaze. Oh, I hope we don't hafta kill him...'_

Ericah's thoughts are pulled away as the man she was ogling took two steps forward and spoke with a firm voice filled with strength, vigor, and confidence.

"Greetings strangers. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gabriel Erin Dracon, master of this fortress, Dracon's Keep. What business brings you to my doorstep?"

Thanks to the echo of the mountains, everyone within the vicinity could hear the declaration, and everyone at once was dumbfounded. Whispers could barely be heard within the crowd of drake riders as a small commotion had begun.

"Oi, is he serious?"

"Look at how he's dressed. Is he royalty?"

"Must be by that name..."

"Who names a fortress after themselves? Is it a family name?"

"Look at 'em. They're not 'fraid at all."

Suddenly, the slam of a dragon's tail shakes the ground silencing all around. It came from the lead dragon in full armor that began to speak in response to Gabriel's declaration.

"Hah! Fool of a human! I am General Ohrly'ress Ailouros, Commander of the Royal Air Guard of the Land of the Drake Riders. This fortress is within the bounds of our borders and as such we claim it for our own. Surrender it or die!"

The instant he finished his statement Tamura's gaze became laser focused on Ohrly'ress, and it was colder than ice. Everyone who met that gaze began to shiver in place from unknown and indescribable feelings of dread, fear, and panic. Even Ohrly'ress and his siblings took a few steps back in response, and the drakes in the immediate area started to become frightened.

Gabriel seemed unfazed by the tense atmosphere as he just sighed and placed his left hand on Tamura's right shoulder. In that instant, those feelings of dread vanished, and as Gabriel traded knowing looks with Tamura all was back to normal. They then both looked back to the group in front of them, and almost immediately they tensed.

Behind Ericah Sabine were her friends and subordinates, Gatoh and Relina. Gatoh stood firm despite his subtle shaking, while Relina's thoughts were a mess.

 _'Wh...what in the dragon's name was that?! That's not natural! That woman... I can feel it. She's as dangerous as the queen! We...we must leave!'_

All within the area had similar thoughts running through their minds as the realization of what they were up against was settling in. The only one who didn't seem as disturbed was Ohrly'ress, as he wore a quivering grin on his face.

 _'This...this is just as she had hoped. I can soon drop all pretenses and put her plan into motion...'_

As he was within his own thoughts, Ericah Sabine calmly spoke up next to him.

"Yo, general! Perhaps we should have some kinda' dialogue before we jump right inta' conflict? After all, tha' queen might gain more from that, than from pickin' a fight with some total strangers."

Everyone around her started to relax as she presented her logic argument. Gabriel, upon hearing this nodded in approval as he considered the situation before him.

 _'The dragon leading them seems an arrogant, self-entitled, pompous piece of garbage, who cares little for those around him or the ones under his command. Just being near him is testing the limits of my already weakened self-control. I am thankful however that the feline-beastman next to him is the exact opposite. Judging by the way she carries herself, and how all those around her are subtly deferring to her, she must be the second-in-command.'_

Gabriel extends his right hand in a welcoming and friendly fashion as he speaks to the group.

"Perhaps you should listen to your second, General Ohrly'ress. Outright conflict would benefit no one here. Your people can be welcomed as friends, because I can promise you, there is no future to be had for any enemies of mine." As Gabriel concluded his speech, his sight became hard and was filled with focus and barely contained fury.

In that instant, the drakes in the area became even more agitated than before, whilst the dragons' breathing became labored, and the troops felt as if the backs of their necks were being pricked by hot pins and needles. As much as they feared Tamura's previous ice-cold killing intent, Gabriel's felt like an intense inferno that could burn them all.

Ohrly'ress' eyes widen as his thoughts quicken in confusion and panic.

 _'No...impossible! He can't be the one I'm sensing. It's absurd! A human?! Stronger than me?! Than even my useless siblings?! I WON'T ACCEPT IT! AND I AM DONE WITH THIS FARCE!'_ Ohrly'ress roars as he stands, hunches his back, and allows the black pikes on his back to have line-of-sight. Ericah screams at him in response.

"You jackass! STOP!"

Her pleas are answered with an activation phrase for an attack.

[Spears of Null-Light]!

At that command, the black pikes glow purple, and fly towards Gabriel and Tamura like guided missiles. Reacting instantly, Gabriel draws his sword, while Tamura readies her staff. With an upward slash he bats two of them vertically into the sky.

The impact creates an enormous shockwave that displaces the surrounding air, and knocks the soldiers on the ground onto their backs. The drakes in the air tumble and twist from the sudden shockwave with the riders barely able to regain control of them.

Simultaneously, Tamura strikes the ground with her staff and chants a command spell.

[Gate]!

Two flying pikes draw near, but a black-purplish portal forms directly in front of her and they disappear into it. The last two fly over their heads and impact just above the front gates, creating a massive explosion of blackness. The displaced air created continued to wreak havoc on the balance of those on the ground and in the air. Only Gabriel and Tamura seemed unaffected.

As the dust settled, and everyone regained their bearings, all present were shocked at the sight of Gabriel and Tamura being completely unharmed. Everything happened so quickly that they didn't realize what had happened until after the fact.

Gabriel lowered his sword from over his head and opened his eyes, the fury clearly visible on his face. He was struggling to maintain control as his body shook from his unbridled anger that flooded his mind and body, while Tamura resumed her ice-cold death glare that was now even more palpable than before.

As Gabriel was about to say something to the group before him, the sound of falling debris from behind catches his attention. He looks back, and at first his facial expression became blank and emotionless. Then all at once his eyes widened with shock, disbelief, anger, rage, grief, and murderous intent. So great was the intensity of his feelings that it caught even Tamura off-guard. She looked upon her lord with worry to see what had his attention.

Meanwhile, every drake rider was waiting with baited breath, wondering what would happen next as they traded exclamations of shock, disbelief, and dread at that they had just witnessed.

The weapons used by their general was imbued with 7th-tiered magic, and to see such mighty weapons, at least from their perspective, be countered so easily was more than they could comprehend. Ericah Sabine was as perturbed as her fellow riders, but as she turned to face Ohrly'ress she was seething with unfiltered anger.

"What in the bloody fock are you doing, you arrogant dumbass?!" Ericah said, letting her frustrations out.

Ohrly'ress responded, but not with anger or rebuke like she expected, but with a satisfied smile.

"What am I doing you ask? I am simply fulfilling my mission as ordered by the queen, you feline dullard." He says with a toothy grin.

As Ericah gazed upon the dragon and parsed his response, enlightenment assaulted her mind like a storm as her eyes widened with horror.

 _'So THAT'S what's goin' on! We weren't sent here ta' invade or even conquer, we were sent here ta' start a war! With everyone here as sacrificial pawns!'_ She grit her teeth as everything came together.

On Gabriel's side, he gazed up at the broken ruins of what was the observation deck. He created it back in YGGDRASIL as a place for him and Alisha to sit back and relax. Memories of so many good times spent there with her hit him all at once as his already incensed emotional state was being taken over the edge. In that instant, he was losing almost all semblance of control as he let out guttural, almost animalistic growls as he spoke.

"You... you... filthy pieces of swine. I offer a hand of friendship and this is how you... you... you DARE STAIN WHAT I CREATED FOR HER?! I... YOU... AAARGH!" Gabriel roars with rage and hate all but consuming him.

As this was happening, he begins to glow with an emerald colored aura and his eyes begin to emit almost ethereal like flames of emerald green. He turns to face the objects of his infernal ire as he was baring his teeth and slightly pointed canines as if they were fangs.

Tamura was frozen in shock at the sight. It was so similar to her lord's first awakening, but this instance was stronger and had more intensity. She dared not speak to him, and dared not get in his way. Not without first securing the area of the newest arrivals.

Back over at Ericah Sabine, as she realized that they were merely being thrown away by their monster of a queen, she reacted almost immediately.

"Tol'leah, Dah'gapha! Signal the withdrawal NOW! We can't stay he..." Before she could finish her sentence Gabriel's roars steal away her attention.

Everyone present trembles at the sight and the feelings of utter doom that assaulted their senses. The reactions from the drakes were the worst as Gabriel's new state stirred something primal within them.

All their instincts were telling them to run, or die. The eyes of Ohrly'ress and his siblings widened so large that they were literally bulging out of their sockets. In all likelihood, Ohrly'ress was having the same thoughts as his siblings as they trembled.

 _'It cannot be! This... this human is the source?! Is he a dragonkin?! A descendant?! That worthless beastman was right. We must flee! The queen must know of this! I cannot die without first achieving my goals!'_

Almost immediately after those thoughts cross his mind his sister Dah'gapha charges forward and places herself in between Gabriel and the riders. She roars out to her comrade and superior Ericah.

"Ericah, this is a supremely dangerous foe! There is no way for all to escape alive! Have the wings in the air flee while those of us here on the ground buy some time!"

Ericah understood what she was saying. All her instincts were screaming at her of the danger to their front, and more than anything she wanted to flee herself. But she cared for her comrades, regardless of race and wasn't going to leave without first making sure that there were survivors. She issued the orders that any field commander dreaded; the ordering of some to die so that some may live.

On instinct the warrior-dragon Dah'gapha activated her martial art, [Invulnerable Fortress], just as Gabriel charged forward. What happened next was beyond all their imaginations. With a single vertical swipe of his blade, an adult frost dragon was sliced in half down the middle. Gabriel emerged completely covered in blood and gore as he touched down to their front.

Gabriel was not a thinking strategist or even a warrior now. He was a wild emerald glowing berserker that would cut down all foolish enough to get in his way. Those foolish ones would be the frost dragons as they all at once released their frost breath upon him.

As Tamura watched the proceedings, she was disturbed by the sudden change in her master, but upon reflection realized that he was at least stable until a precious memory of his love and her creator was tarnished by the fools he was trying to welcome. In that instant, she hardened her heart and via [Message] gave her orders in cold tones.

"Leona? This is Vice-Commander Tamura. Proceed with your orders. Let none escape."

Away from the battle at the gates of Dracon's Keep, over 70 drake riders were flying away from the scene as fast as their mounts could take them. Suddenly, a hailstorm a blue enchanted arrows rains down upon them, tearing through their enchanted gear and mounts as if they were tissue paper. Screams of pain and death filled the air as they all started to drop out of the sky and onto the mountain tops and cliffs like flies.

One drake rider had fallen onto a mountainside cliff and survived when he managed to use his mount to break his fall. He removed his helm revealing his brown, blood soaked hair and brown eyes. His face contorted in pain as he laid flat on his stomach. Despite his mount taking the brunt of the fall, his legs and pelvis were fractured. The rider slowly tried to crawl away when he heard a cheery voice through the cold mountain winds.

"Nyaa!~ Swo that's what my creator always meant bwy 'Death from Above'. He he.~" The cheery, female voice said.

The rider tried to look around him when he heard it.

"What was that?! Who...!" He tried to say before a glowing arrow pierces his skull, pinning it to the ground.

The voice rings out one last time as death fully embraces him.

"Sorwy cutie!~ I have me orders.~" The voice says as the sound of flapping wings is heard echoing through the air, and the sounds of pain and death fall silent.

Back at the Keep's front gate, the barrage of frost breath stalls Gabriel for all of 20 seconds as he then slices through it with a flurry of sword slices so quick and numerous that it seemed to cut the very air itself. With almost perfect timing, he was surrounded by 22 riders armed with swords. With blinding speed he twists and pivots on his left foot. Gabriel spins in a circle thrice, and in a flash the troops fell in multiple assorted bloody pieces that fell apart as if in slow motion.

[Lightning]!

[Twin Maximize Magic: Electrosphere]!

Those two 3rd-tier lightning based attacks rang out as the dragons Fryhz'zett and Indyh'renth launched their spells. With a swipe of his left backhand, Gabriel blew the magic attacks away as if they were nothing but insects buzzing in the air. Immediately following that Gabriel throws his sword in the dragons' direction. The speed was beyond their ability to react, but it did not strike them. Instead it flew in between them.

A ground shaking tumble is heard as they looked behind them, and to their horror their sister Yrsae'diosah had her head impaled by Gabriel's sword, [Krysseatheum].

"YRSAE'DIOSAH!"

Riders and dragons alike howled in grief as she was struck down before their eyes. So great was their anger and hate that for a brief instant all present forgot their fear of Gabriel's overwhelming strength and the remaining dragons and over two dozen riders charged forward. A hope was nurtured that without his sword they could stop the man shaped monster that was tearing through their ranks. They were wrong.

Before the remaining dragons could get to him, Gabriel in his frenzy tore the riders apart with his bare hands. Even with [Martial Arts], his speed was beyond them as a shower of blood and limbs flew through the air. During all of this, Ohrly'ress stood still in thought and fear.

 _'This isn't possible! This human isn't human! I must now leave! While everyone is distracted, I can use the teleportation item the queen gave me to escape!'_

Ohrly'ress reached to his side and tapped a rune covered crystal that was attached to his armor twice. He felt the magical energies release and soon felt relief knowing he would escape this nightmare. Suddenly the energies backlash on him and the spell failed to activate. Filled with panic Ohrly'ress' thoughts raced at lightning speeds.

 _'Damn it all! What is going on?! I have used this item more than enough times to know it works! So what is...'_ His thoughts halted as his dragonic senses picked up a very subtle change in the air around him.

His eyes then instinctively went to Tamura. Her gaze was locked on him with her right hand outstretched with pulsing yellow magic circles rotating around her hand and at her feet on the ground. With dawning horror he realized what had happened.

 _'It's her! She somehow blocked the teleportation magic! I must...'_ The moment he tried to move away he suddenly found himself face to face with Gabriel, who had retrieved his sword.

Out of reflex, Ohrly'ress crossed his wings in front of him and activated the martial art, [Invulnerable Fortress]. Gabriel closed in and slashed horizontally across his wings and chest. Orange sparks and crimson blood gushed forth like a fountain as he fell back towards the edge of the cliff. Ohrly'ress looked towards his siblings, and saw all had been slain. The dragon's eyes rolled back as his final thoughts followed him into death.

 _'My useless siblings, you couldn't even cover my escape...'_ With that he silently was sent over the edge into the abyss.

Gabriel slowly walked away from the cliff as he approached the last remaining riders in the area, Ericah, Gatoh, and Relina. From head to toe Gabriel was covered in blood and gore. His aura still glowed brightly and ominously in emerald light and his eyes were still glossed over in ethereal flames. From their perspective, he was a monster stalking prey.

Ericah Sabine was at a loss of what to do. All their drakes were either dead, or had flown off and the aces of their group were slain as if they were powerless children. Death did not particularly scare her, but what truly terrified her was to die without saving her closest childhood friends.

She was an only child and because beastman were few in the country, she didn't have many friends. Gatoh and Relina were among the first to accept her, and the first true friends she ever had. She would die to keep them safe, and even in this hopeless situation she didn't give that up as she quietly addressed them behind her.

"Oi. You two listen close. There's a chance ya' can surrender ta that creepy magic-caster lady in black near the gate. I'll cover ya' while ya' make a mad dash over there." Ericah had hoped they would do as they were told since they too knew how hopeless the situation was.

She was wrong as Relina responded in the negative.

"Not a chance! We won't turn tail and leave you to die alone! Gatoh? Say something!" Relina beseeched her husband for his voice of support, but what she got was not what she expected.

"Thank you, 'Cherry Picker'. I'll always remember you, and I promise our first daughter will be named after you." Gatoh said in a low, sad tone as he grabbed his wife's hand and pulled her away.

He wasn't going to spit on Ericah's bravery and waste time arguing the point. A chance was given to save his wife and as a dutiful husband he was going to take it, no matter what he felt, and no matter his wife's protests.

However, the moment was too little too late, as Gabriel closed in for the kill before Gatoh and Relina could get completely clear. Still, they were well trained warriors with good instincts. After seeing his movements so many times before, all three of them had activated the same martial art simultaneously.

[Invulnerable Fortress]!

[Invulnerable Fortress]!

[Invulnerable Fortress]!

In a thrusting motion, Gabriel's sword snapped Ericah's blade in half as it plunged into her heart. As the blade extended out her back, it hit Gatoh dead center and blew him and his wife back, and blowing their helms off as well. Ericah's life was fading fast and in one last act of defiance she smiled and chuckled as she uttered her final words.

"He he he. You've got a hard one. Heh..." She fell to the ground silently as her last chuckle escaped her blood soaked mouth.

Gabriel walked over Ericah's corpse breathing and growling like a beast as his flame covered eyes locked on the last two survivors of the Royal Air Guard. His vision as well as his mind was a clouded mess of emerald flame and distorted images and sounds. It was as if his consciousness was sealed without a way to break free. Suddenly, a deep voice echoed in his mind as his body neared Gatoh and Relina.

 _/'Hmm. You somehow accessed our power a bit too soon, little Gabriel. I cannot interfere directly, but that girl's cries should be able to reach you. Though I doubt you'll be thankful when your mind returns to you...'/_

Relina was on her knees, cradling her husband Gatoh in her arms as his breathing was labored and filled with extreme pain. The last blow he received tore open his upper armor and ripped the flesh and muscle from his chest. Tears were streaming down his face but they weren't his alone. Relina's mixed with his as she bent down to her husband, her sadness and desperation fully present as she spoke.

"Gatoh! Gatoh! Please, don't go! I already lost a son! I can't lose my husband too! I cannot bear it! Gatoh!" Her face was a crimson red as her tears washed away the blood of her husband that stained her face.

Although his life still hangs by a thread, Gatoh was still alive, but had slipped into unconsciousness due to the shock.

Gabriel slowly approached with sword in hand, making guttural sounds that could not be even considered human as he went. Relina holds Gatoh's head tightly to her chest, having lost all will to move or fight. She looks up to face her fate as the blood drenched Gabriel draws near and lifts his sword above his head to deliver the final blow. In one last act of resistance Relina screams at her would be killer.

"GET AWAY FROM US! MONSTER! MURDERER! ARGH!" Her cries of anguish fills the air and filters into Gabriel's ears.

In that instant, he halted in his tracks as every muscle in his body shook. Seconds felt like hours as he stood in place, barely 3 feet away from the couple. Slowly his green aura began to recede and the emerald flames in his eyes faded. As the fog lifted from his consciousness, he slowly lowered his sword as awareness returned to his eyes. His first expression was that of confusion as he stared down at the blood soaked couple.

"Wh..at? What... is going on?"

Relina didn't respond as she continued to bare her teeth and hatred directly towards Gabriel.

For a moment he stood there disoriented and confused, but afterward recollection, enlightenment, and utter horror painted his face as clearly as the semi-moist blood. Sharply turning to the side, Gabriel lost the grip on his Divine Class sword as the blood-soaked fields filled his vision. He did not want to believe what he was seeing and remembering, but he could not deny it either as the full gravity of the situation sunk in.

"No... How could this have happened? What in God's name have I done?!" Gabriel's voice wavered and trembled as the guilt bore down on him like a tidal wave.

The field of carnage and death assaulted every honorable and moral fiber of his being. He looked down at his blood-soaked hands, and ever present shame hollowed him empty.

[Sleep]

Gabriel hears the magic spell activate and hears the body of the woman he very nearly killed slump down. He knew she was still alive and that Tamura had rendered her unconscious. Or to be more precise, he guessed that was so, as he couldn't even bring himself to face the NPC in his current state. For the second time in the span of a few days his heart was broken. First from grief, and now overwhelming guilt.

[Cleanse]

Tamura cast another spell and within seconds Gabriel was as clean as he was before. However, he did not feel clean. He felt tainted, defiled, and unworthy of life, love, and power of any kind. He wanted to bury himself in a hole and never come out again, but there were still things he could do, and responsibilities he wouldn't run from. He lifted his head and spoke to Tamura with as best of a dignified tone as he could muster.

"Tamura, status report."

For a moment she hesitated to answer, uncertain that anything she said could help or harm her master any further. He hid his face well now, but for a moment she saw it; the overwhelming guilt and shame that tore at him. She knew her master was a good and honorable man, and it pained her heart to know the effect this had on him. Knowing that hesitating any longer would be unwise, she finally answered his query.

"My Lord Gabriel, based on preliminary reports, out of the 160 sentient combatants, only 7 currently remain alive. Approximately two dozen drakes flew off during the fight, but they were mindless beasts so they were allowed to leave." Tamura said in as soft a tone as she could make, but still she felt uneasy, and the reason why came.

"Fight? Is that a joke Tamura? Because I am not laughing. Call it what it was: a one-sided slaughter." There was no anger in Gabriel's voice as he spoke. Only disappointment. Tamura picked up on that as she bowed.

"Forgive me, my lord. I misspoke."

"No, Tamura. It's okay. The fault is mine, and mine alone. *sighs tiredly* I have new orders for you. First, have the survivors transported immediately to the infirmary for treatment. Then, I want you to signal our forces to begin a search and retrieval of every fatality from this atrocity. Every soldier, dragon, and drake is to be resurrected and treated. Once that is completed, all of the sentient ones are to be interrogated. I want to know everything they know, and in particular, everything about who sent them here and why. And just so I am made abundantly clear, until further notice the use of torture is absolutely forbidden. Now, go."

"By your command, Lord Gabriel." She says with a heavy tone as her worry for her master has not waned, but she resolved to carry out his orders.

After a moment he picks up his sword and using his [Guild Ring] vanishes from sight.

* * *

 **Land of the Drake Riders, Ru'rah Palace Throne Room**

Bwynleah Veinun, Queen of the Land of the Drake Riders, sat in her throne drinking red wine from an exquisitely crafted wine glass with dragon designs as she had her eyes focused on a crystal ball to her front. It primarily glowed the color purple, with small red circles that appeared on its surface.

To her right the former king turned sex slave, Rahkar Ailouros, laid beside the throne wearing a black collar and covered in black chains. He watched as she gazed intently at the crystal ball in front of her. However, things seemed different with him now. Rahkar's eyes were empty with little to no life in them. He had the eyes of one who was broken and defeated, and who had given up.

As the queen was studying the crystal ball, she suddenly started to smile perversely. The numerous red circles had begun to systematically disappear until there were none left to be seen. She laid back in her throne and with a final gulp finished her wine with a satisfied moan. Watching everything up to this point Rahkar spoke, with his voice weak and distant.

"Are they all gone?"

Bwynleah responds in a flighty tone, as if it were just an amusing distraction.

"Oh, why yes.~ Dead to the last. A pity really.~" She yawns as she finishes her sentence, her dual voices still unnerving to hear.

"You knew that this might happen, didn't you? Why did you send them all there?" Rahkar asks tiredly.

"Hm? Oh, come now Rahkar.~ Did you lose all energy to your mind from our last session together? Well then, let me answer your question with another question. What would you do if a group of strangers suddenly arrived unannounced and attacked your home? Answer? You'd retaliate of course. He he he he.~"

"So you are deliberately starting a conflict. To what end, Bwynleah?"

She looks at him with perverse eyes filled with satisfaction and excitement, she reaches over and pets his head as if the dragon were a dog.

"Why, for more power of course! You think the strength you have seen from me is the end? Oh, no my sweet thing.~ There are even greater heights to be reached."

"And you would sacrifice your nation to achieve that end?" He asks in neutral tones, seemingly apathetic to his own question.

"HA HA HA HA!~ Oh, Rahkar! I didn't know you could be so funny! Aah.~ This country was little more than a means to an end. I simply used what it had to offer me. Nothing more, nothing less. The people, while delicious and entertaining, can offer me little else besides the occasional distraction and a few 'resources' I may need." She has a disturbing grin on her face as she says this. After a few seconds she continues.

"More to the point, whoever comes here seeking retribution will be far more valuable to me. Whether they will be my new body or nourishment for my growth, we shall see, won't we? Oh, what a delightful game. I can't wait for it to begin!~" She concludes with a sadistic glee that sends shivers down Rahkar's spine.

The die has been cast, and now two powers are on an inexorable collision course in the Land of the Drake Riders.

* * *

 ***Review Replies!***

 **pta917-9/09/17** **: Oh, yes the plot will definitely thicken. I wasn't originally planning on more intermissions that goes back to the Old World, but if there is a demand for it then I just might change my mind. ;)**

 **METALHELLSPWN-9/09/17** **: I like your summary, and I am thrilled you have been enjoying the ride thus far, even to go as far as to read it during your work hours. That greatly humbles me! :)**

 **MajorShipper519-9/09/17** **: LOL! It's not bad at all! In fact, it's a pretty good idea. Bad news is I just don't have the time for it since I am focusing on this story, as well as providing editing duties for two others. Short version: plate full. :P Still, I will keep it in mind, without question. ;)**

 **Perorocino-9/10/17** **: LOL! Although I am falling in love with that idea, at the moment there are no plans for that to happen. Yet. ;)**

 **levelgap-9/15/17** **: LMAO! I always LOVE reading your reviews friend! Can't get enough of it! :D And to answer your question, yes the intermission marked the halfway point in the 1st arc. Yes, I am doing arcs. Just F.Y.I. ;) Unfortunately no, Earth's vampires have no direct connection to players getting transferred to another world. Lots of foreshadowing, with a purpose too. ;) And thank you very much! :D**

 **GoDie910-9/20/17** **: Oh, there will be more. Without question! :D And high doses of foreshadowing can be a good thing. If there is an end payoff of course. ;)**


	6. Chapter 6-Questions & Answers

**Chapter 6-Questions & Answers**

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th Floor, Nurse's Dormitory Room**

The air was cool and pleasant as a ceiling fan overhead rotated with a moderate speed. The room was of descent size for two people to cohabitate with the heads of two beds against a wall and dresser/nightstand combos between and next to each one. The smell of strawberries and lilacs filled the air as scented candles burned on the nightstands and a nearby wooden desk.

On the left bed a young woman slept comfortably on her left side, as her silvery-white hair shined in the candle-light, and she slightly smiled and moaned in her unconscious state. The woman was the lvl-5 human nurse Addison-Rei, who was clearly recovering from her tryst with her master, Gabriel Erin Dracon.

Sitting in a chair next to the bed on the right was a lvl-2 homunculus, her roommate and fellow nurse, Mina. She sat in her chair gazing at Addison with her eyes and facial expressions filled with a myriad of different emotions which ranged from compassion, envy, concern, jealousy, and uncertainty. In her sleep, Addison-Rei turned over on her back, and as the bed-sheet slightly fell it exposed her bare chest to the room.

Mina blushed instantaneously at the sight as her face became as red as an apple. The skin of Addison-Rei's chest was healthy and light in complexion, with her twin pink peaks proudly standing at attention. As Mina stared on in silence, she started fidgeting in awkward nervousness.

 _'Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh dear! What do I do? The proper thing would be to cover her up, but she's so beautiful in the candle light...'_

Her thoughts came to an abrupt end when Addison stirred in her bed with a series of moans. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she gradually became aware of her surroundings. At first she seemed confused as she turned her head and looked to the left and then to her right. Seeing her roommate Mina, understanding began to dawn on her as she stretches once more with a few winces and a series of satisfied moans.

"Hmm... Good morning, Mimi.~" She said with a smile.

"Ah, um good morning Addy. Eh, um, did you sleep well?" Mina says awkwardly.

"Ooooh, you have no idea.~ Lord Gabriel is such a wonderful..." Before she finished her sentence, Addison's eyes shoot wide open and suddenly sits up exposing more of her bare body.

"Damn IT! Mimi, where is Lord Gabriel?! Is he alright?!" Her outburst startles the timid homunculus nurse.

"Eek! Um, I... well, that is..." She stammers as she tries to answer, only for Addison to lose even more patience.

"SPIT IT OUT!"

"RIGHT!~ Um, Lord Gabriel is fine! Last I heard he was being accompanied by Lord Walter and Lady Tamura outside to go on a walk of some kind! That's all I know!~"

As Mina's words began to sink in Addison's posture relaxed and she fell back onto her bed with a loud and relieved sigh. Her right hand went under her pillow as her left rested on her now bare abdomen as her bed sheet now rested around her waist. She stared at the ceiling for a moment before speaking to Mina apologetically.

"Sorry about that Mimi."

"Eh? Um... Oh! It's okay. Don't worry about it. He he he.~" Mina says as she waves it off, still ogling Addison-Rei's upper body with a nervous chuckle. As she did, her posture got a bit stiffer as she asked a question.

"So, um, you 'assisted' in Lord Gabriel's recovery. If I may ask, what was that like?"

Mina finished her query with a blushing face and nervous demeanor. Addison didn't even pay attention because as soon as she was asked, her face was dyed crimson and she started to sweat profusely. As she recalled that evening with her beloved Lord Gabriel, she could not help but smile ear to ear as she answered with a low chuckle and a satisfied moan.

"Oooh, it was glorious Mimi.~ My heart raced sooo fast! It was like my entire body was bathed in a warm, comforting flame. Every touch of Lord Gabriel's hands and fingers was like electricity on my skin. And don't even get me started on when I gave him my first time. Ah~... such wonderful manhood. I can still feel him inside me..." She purred those last words with satisfaction and contentment in her voice.

Mina looked on and saw just how happy and contented she was and lowered her head still red faced, and once again became fidgety. Addison-Rei tilted her head slightly and saw this behavior, and she smiled mischievously as she spoke up.

"Don't worry Mimi. I'm sure one day, you too can have your first time with Lord Gabriel. If you want, it might be possible for me to ask about it."

Mina reacts immediately with an embarrassed look after that statement.

"Eek! Eh...um, no that's fine! You don't have to go that far.~" Mina says while vigorously waving her hands in front of her to dispel any such notions before she then continued speaking.

"I mean, Lady Alisha isn't here right now, so I can get why you were needed. Once she comes back, how would a lowly nurse like me be able to compare to a woman as magnificent as her?"

As she says this and looks down with a self-deprecating smile, Addison's expression briefly becomes hardened as she thinks.

 _'Ah. That's right. Lady Tamura only told me about Lady Alisha's passing. I can't tell her about it. I could barely handle it even with Lady Tamura's physical and mental buffs. If I tell Mimi about it now, she'd be crying all night long and well into the morning.'_

Addison softens her facial expression into a grin, turns to lay on her right side, and decides to playfully change the subject on her friend.

"So then, how about being Lord Gabriel's mistress?~"

"...Eh?! No, thank you. At least, just not right now, I mean...that is.." Mina stammers again obviously fluttered.

"Hooh~? How bold of you. You implying that the Supreme Leader of the High Lords and master of this wondrous Keep is not good enough? You do know just how many people here would kill just to get the chance I got, right?~" Addison said with a grin.

"No! That's not it at all! It would be a great honor to be called to Lord Gabriel's bed and I would happily go if the time came. It's just... well... I want to have my first time with someone else... I guess..." Mina's voice trails off in a low, embarrassed tone at the end.

"Well now! Didn't think you could surprise me, Mimi!~ Now I'm curious... who's caught your eye?"

Mina kept her head low as she was asked that question. An uncomfortable silence reigned inside the room as the air grew heavy and as her movements stopped dead in their tracks. The hands in her lap clenched into fists and became drained of color as she gripped them tighter and tighter. Her mouth opened and closed several times as it became apparent that the answer to that question was not an easy one for her.

 _'Uh, oh. I've never seen her act like this. She's always timid, but now she's downright scared to answer me. Ah~ah. I won't push it. I'll let her get there on her own. My creator Lord Joseph always said that it's best to let the other party do all the talking when they face an uncomfortable subject.'_

Addison-Rei turned over to lay on her stomach as she kept her eyes trained on Mina and patiently waited on her to speak. After about 12 minutes of Mina going back and forth between not answering to almost answering, she took in a deep breath and relaxed herself, seeming ready to give an answer. She looked back at Addison with an uncharacteristic focus and determination as she spoke.

"I'm sorry Addy. I know it is selfish of me to do this, but I am afraid that if I don't say this now after you had asked, I'll never be able to work up the courage again. Addy, I... I-I've always wanted you to be my first!~"

Once again, there was silence in the dorm-room. It was near deafening as they both simply stared at each other in a moment of tense, awkward silence. Mina wore an expression of fearful expectation, while Addison wore a deadpan expression of surprise, confusion, and shock. The only things that could be heard was the air being circulated by the ceiling fan and the sound of the candles burning.

After about five minutes of this uncomfortable silence, the one to break it was Addison as she started to softly chuckle aloud. It was a relaxed chuckle that communicated a feeling of being at ease and even amused. Mina picked up on it and relaxed herself as she stared at Addison in both fear and puzzlement.

"You are continuing to surprise me, Mimi. I never had a clue you felt that way. Hmm? Oh, would you stop looking at me like that!"

"Then...then you're not angry?" She asked lowering her head in hesitation.

"Angry? I'm actually proud of your bony ass! You spoke your mind without being a timid little flower for once. You need to do it more often!"

Upon hearing that, Mina started to break out into tears. All her fear and trepidation was leaving her body and was being replaced with relief, like a great weight was lifted off of her shoulders.

"*sniff* Thank you. Thank you, Addy.~ *sniff*"

"Oi, you start crying and I WILL get angry." Addison says in a stern voice, which makes Mina hurriedly wiped all her tears and stiffen up.

"*sighs* That's more like it. Besides, you should be feeling better after getting that off your small chest.~ He he he."

"Addy!~" Mina exclaimed with a cute pouting face.

Afterward, she was smiling shyly and happily, knowing that Addison was right. She felt much better after working up the courage to speak her mind. She thought to herself as she continued to smile.

 _'My creator Lord Felix was right. Keeping secrets from close friends is never good for you. Okay.~ I have come this far, and Addy seems more open and relaxed since Lord Gabriel took her to his bed. Maybe I can ask...'_

Her thoughts end as Mina lifts up her head to speak, albeit still shyly and reluctantly.

"Say, Addy?~ This may be sudden, but since I answered your question, and you want me to be more open with my thoughts and feelings, I... I was wondering if you'd be willing to take my first time?" Her face was cherry red as she completed that sentence.

Addison for her part was at first stunned as she parsed her friend's request. Then after the initial surprise she relaxed her facial expression as she thought to herself.

 _'Is this really Mina? She's being so open now, it's kinda' hard to believe. I hate to admit it, but this is still all new to me too. What do I say? What do I do? Lord Joseph once spoke of a situation like this, but the memory is all fuzzy and hazy. I can't remember what he said. Damn it all!'_

Addison spent a few more moments in thought trying to find an answer, looking like her usual composed and confident self. A few minutes later, she lifted her head slightly and with some measure of hesitation opened her mouth seemingly ready to give an answer. Suddenly, the [Magic Intercom] on the ceiling lets out an alarm that rang thrice before a mature sounding female voice spoke.

{To all personnel, this is a Class-1 emergency! All on-duty personnel are to immediately report to their own area guardians and supervisors. This is not a drill. I say again, this is not a drill!}

Both Mina and Addison-Rei had hard and focused looks on their faces after that single announcement had concluded. Mina shoots up from her chair and goes to a nearby wall that had a [Magic Phone] mounted in place. She picked it up and pressed 4 oval crystals that chimed with every touch. Afterward, she placed it on her left ear and waited. Meanwhile, Addison quickly and quietly got up and opened a drawer next to her bed.

She puts on a pink bra and panties, and then puts on a set of white leggings that went almost all the way up her legs. She went to a nearby closet and dressed in a pink nurse's outfit, did up her hair in a single braid, and wore a nurse's cap with a green cross symbol on it. In the five minutes it took Mina to finish her call, Addison was completely dressed, save for the shoes she was in the process of putting on.

"Addy!~ What are you doing?" Mina exclaims in a worried tone.

"Huh? What's it look like? I'm getting ready for duty!"

"But you can't! The Head Doctor gave you the next few days off, and I was ordered to look after you during that time!"

"Ah.~ But you see, from what you're saying, I was 'given' some days off, and was not ordered to take them. Meaning, I can do whatever I want with them. Well, I choose to go help. If you were ordered to keep an eye on me, then you're just gonna have to come along, right?~" Addison finishes her question with a grin and a wink.

"Uh, well, I guess that makes sense. I suppose..." Mina mumbles to herself still not completely sure. A loud clapping sound from Addison forces her attention back to her.

"Hey! Focus! You called the front desk, right? What's the details?"

"Oh, right! Um, well it seems we're getting some patients in from the outside in need of treatment, and a large number in need of resurrection and follow up treatment."

"Eh? Huh? Outsiders? How many are we talking about?" Addison asked in a confused manner.

"Well, um, I wasn't given an exact number, but the front desk estimated over 140 were coming in."

As Mina finished, Addison went through shock and disbelief before angrily responding.

"Eh?... Huh?... What?! Then why the hell are we still standing here talking?! Get your bony ass moving, Mimi!" She says forcefully as she makes a mad dash to the door of their room with Mina following close behind.

"Uh, right!~"

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th Floor, Training Chamber-4**

In a wide-open chamber, there were at least 50 soldiers in magnificent, shining silver and blue, heavy plate armor with the crest of the guild on their chests. All had on full helms and were training in groups, save for one that was looking over the proceedings. It was a lvl-92 incubus with red spiky hair and white streaks on either side of his head with two curved horns on his temples, and shining yellow eyes with slit pupils.

It was the area guardian of this section of the Keep, Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx. The four training rooms not only acted as practice areas for guild-members, but also as defensive lines should there be an invasion capable of reaching the 8th floor.

A barrier would erect, blocking the way forward, and would remain until either the "training" rooms were cleared of all enemies, or the invading force was stamped out. Each room was different, and could change its environmental features and hazards with the application of YGGDRASIL gold coins.

This one was a mountain castle type setting with a myriad of stone golems and practice dummies surrounding the area. There were 2 sets of double doors. The first were the smaller, regular sized ones leading to a central recuperation area that connected to all four of the training areas, and was accessible only to the NPCs and the guild-members. The second was a massive set of double doors that was 5 meters (16ft 5in) tall and same amount wide, which was the entry/exit point.

Lynal Dexx watched his comrades train and spar with both satisfaction and boredom as he stood with arms folded, tapping his armored left arm with his right index finger. He lets out a tired sigh as he thinks to himself.

 _'Oh, by the high lords, I am bored out of my senses. No intruder has ever come to this floor, and I doubt one ever will. Once this shift is over there is nothing to do but bed the occasional servant._ *sighs* _Just once I wish something interesting would happen...'_

Just then the lvl-92 incubus Lynal is taken out of his thoughts when Gabriel had then suddenly appeared in a flash of blue light 4ft (122cm) to his immediate right. At first the NPC was completely dumbfounded, only letting out a very audible, "Eh?", as he looked on. Then after a few seconds he snaps out of his surprised daze as he bellows out an exceedingly loud command that echos throughout the area.

"Present...ARMS!"

At that command every warrior in the chamber immediately stops what they were doing, turns to his direction, and lifts their weapons into the air in a salute. They see their master standing in the hall next to their captain and instantly understand why they were ordered to salute. With that in mind they all speak out in unison as their combined voices shakes the area.

"All hail our master, Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon!"

Lynal Dexx was already standing erect at the position of attention with his left hand behind his back, and his right, closed fist on his chest in a form of salute. He spoke formally and earnestly to his master.

"My Lord Gabriel. It is a great honor to have you grace us with your presence! How may we be of service?"

Gabriel's head is slightly lowered with the front strands of his golden blonde hair obscuring his eyes as he stands in silence. For a few seconds Lynal starts to look on with worry in his eyes. He begins to wonder if he had done something wrong, so in a low and calm tone of voice he speaks once again.

"M-My lord? Is everything alright?"

At that question, Gabriel takes a breath and responds in a calm but stern tone of voice.

"Clear out this training room."

"Uh, my lord?" The NPC Lynal responds in confusion, not quite understanding his master's intentions.

Gabriel's left arm shudders for a millisecond, and then his left thumb proceeds to wrap over his left index finger. With a slight pull on his thumb the knuckle cracks, and he repeats this process for every finger on his left hand. This unnerves Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx quite a bit. Although he can't sense hostility from his master, there was something else that was boiling beneath the surface that made him sweat.

Gabriel lifts up his right hand, and with every word spoken, he repeats this action.

"Everyone."

*CRACK*

"Out."

*CRACK*

"Now."

*CRACK*

At that final cracked knuckle, which seemed to echo throughout the training chamber, Lynal immediately sprang into action.

"Everyone! By our lord's command, leave the training chamber, and be quick about it!"

Lynal then quickly bows to Gabriel before following suit and rushing out of the chamber with his fellow NPCs. The thick, 12in (30.5cm) double doors of the 4th training chamber closes with a great, room shaking *SLAM!* before all was still and quiet.

After a few moments pass, Gabriel methodically removes his sword, rings, sash, amulet, overcoat and primary coat, and his white button up, long sleeve shirt. He places them on a nearby table and slowly walked towards a stone golem. A few seconds pass and his entire body starts to violently shake.

His muscles and veins tense so hard that they look like they would burst from the confines of the skin on his bare arms, hands, and upper torso. The bones and cartilage in his body very audibly cracks and pops under the pressure. He grits his teeth so hard that they start to profusely bleed from the gum tissue. When it seemed it could go on no further he lets out a powerful roar filled with rage, wrath, and grief.

"ARAAGHAAAAAAAAAA!"

Without a hint of restraint or control he lashes out at the lvl-50 stone golem with a wild straight punch from his right fist that shatters the construct with a single blow. He stomps with his left leg, leaving an imprint of his boot in the stone floor, and shoots forward like a bullet to the next golem.

Again, another construct was shattered into sharp pebbles by the blow he unleashes. The sharp, jagged edges of the fragments of the golem leaves small, but very visible cuts and lacerations on Gabriel's skin. He pays it no heed as he tears through golem after golem. All the while he roars and curses as he makes the very room shake with his violent outbursts.

"GODDAMMIT! GODDAMMIT AAALLLL!"

Outside the doors to the training chamber, Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx stands by allowing no one to near the area. He was very clearly shaking with fear as the sweat freely fell from his face. With every roar and room shaking tremor he winces and retreats in the overwhelming mental pressure that his master's rage inflicted. He bites his lower lip as he then retreats into his own thoughts.

 _'By the creators! Lord Gabriel's wrath is terrifying! What sort of transgression could have enraged our master so? I... I was a fool. I wished something "interesting" would happen? Creators', I beseech you! Grant me boredom once more!'_

Back inside the training chamber, Gabriel was covered head to toe in bloody wounds as he combated the now active training golems that were trying to fight back. His fists had become bloody as he took apart the stone constructs with wild abandon. Baring his teeth like a beast and attacking like one, it would be easy to assume from his outward appearance that he had lost himself again. However, this was not the case at all.

All the pent up anger, grief, shame, and guilt that had been accumulating had finally burst forth freely without fear or restraint. Gabriel's thoughts took shape as he tore through the training area with a trail of own blood.

 _'God, why?! Why is this happening?! Losing Alisha hollowed me out enough! Then... then this! I lose myself and slaughter those soldiers like they were bugs or trash. They weren't even a threat! I could tell. They didn't even want to be here! I've killed before, but always with good reason. Always making sure there was no other option! Alisha and I never measured successes with body counts. God... how...'_

With that last thought Gabriel collapses to his hands and knees, but not from fatigue. He felt his new body could go on for days without tiring. No, he collapsed from a broken will and spirit, and a gnawing uncertainty that left him without direction, purpose, or a way forward. For the first time in his life, he needed to stand on his own two feet, but after over two centuries bonded with his lady love, he honestly did not know how.

As he looked down to his hands, a new sight had brought him back to rational thought. Before his very eyes his torn flesh started to mend and heal itself, while the blood that was still clinging to his body was drawn back inside his veins. Gabriel just looked on in wonder as he contemplated this new development.

 _'Th...this rate of healing... is unbelievable. With wounds this severe, it would have taken me a couple of days to recover in my old body. Even my avatar in the the game didn't have this! Health regen for the [Methuselah] class human, while impressive, was still the slowest of all lvl-100s with regenerative health. I... I can feel it! The power in my blood... this is [Blood Magic]?! Did the merger of my different bodies give me this?!'_

Gabriel sat down in shock at the revelation his rampage had given him. He sank further into thought as he watched his body continue to heal.

 _'I see it now. I can feel it. The enchanted nano-machines, the merger of my bodies, and its high development. All of it had combined to give me something that should be impossible for a human. But... am I still human after all this? I don't know what I am right now. When I was outside losing control, I could feel it. Something within me broke loose. Something primal. Something powerful. Something... familiar.'_

*sighs* _'I can figure this out later. Right now though, what do I do? I made a promise to Alisha to live on. I already broke that promise once when the throes of pain and grief overwhelmed me, and I have no intention of doing it again. But how do I go on? Think. Remember...'_

Gabriel leans against a boulder that had not been destroyed by his rampage. The entire training area was littered with the broken remains of over 90 stone golems and other random walls and practice dummies.

His thoughts drift through over two centuries worth of memories and experiences in a desparate search for his answer. He then unconsciously enters a meditative state as his mind dives into a pool of memories. Allowing his memories to drift, Gabriel remembers the first time he found himself in the middle of a war-zone.

* * *

It was in the spring of 1944 and he, Jon, and Alisha found themselves in the jungles of mainland south-east Asia. During the beginning of World War II, he was forbidden from taking part in "human" wars due to his bond with Alisha. All that changed when Japan and Germany started to look for occult means of winning the war.

The Vampire Hierarchy quietly sent agents, assassins, and even special-ops soldiers to neutralize these efforts since they came dangerously close to not only exposing their existence, but also threatening the world with forces that most could not control or even understand.

When the call to action came Alisha, and by extension Gabriel, went out to eliminate these threats. He remembers one mission where he, Jon, and Alisha went in as a team of "special advisors" with a group of American special operations troops.

They found intel on a Japanese research station on the outskirts of a village in Thailand. It was a mission that would never be found in the history books due to its unique nature, and how it had ended with a whole village of hundreds dead.

Nearly half of the 20 men that went in with them, likewise did not make it out of that mission alive. Gabriel remembers how he stormed out of a meeting with the group commander after a heated argument over his decision to move on after the mission had ended.

He was furious because of the losses incurred, and from Gabriel's young point of view it seemed callous that after everything he could just leave like that without stopping for a few moments to mourn their deaths. Later that evening, Alisha approached him sensing his anger as he left the meeting to an abandoned shack in said village. He stares out a window as she embraces him from behind and then speaks.

"I can feel your anger and frustration, Gabe. What's the matter?" Alisha asks in a low and concerned tone.

*sighs* "You always ask questions when you already know the answers, angel?" Gabriel responds tiredly.

"Sometimes. Especially when you need some poking and prodding, my love. Tell me. What troubles you?"

Gabriel briefly tightens his right fist before answering her.

"The mission lead Ellison pissed me off. We stop the Japanese military from unleashing a catastrophe, at the cost of an entire village and half his men, and he acts so cold and detached about it. Does that man feel nothing at all?!" He grits his teeth as he says this.

Alisha however was calm as she took in what Gabriel was saying. She sighs as she places her left hand on his right cheek to turn him around to face her. Just as their eyes met she begins to speak in an calm, knowing manner that in turn calms Gabriel down.

"Listen my love, I can feel how this affects you, and I know what you are trying to say, but since you are still young and this is your first war, there are some things you do not yet understand."

Gabriel looked surprised for a moment, but relented when he realized the truth of her words. They joined hands as he nodded for her to go on and listened intently.

"First, you need to understand that as the commander, he doesn't have the luxury of letting his losses get the better of him. No matter how personal or tragic they may be, he still has a mission to complete, and a war to fight after that. He may seem cold and detached, but I can guarantee you that no one feels these losses better than him. Especially since..." Alisha's voice trails off as she lowered her head for a moment.

"Especially since...what?" The younger Gabriel asked with curiosity in his voice.

Alisha sighed in resignation, as if she realized a mistake that couldn't be undone.

"One of the men that was lost, Baker? He was, *ahem*, intimate with Ellison."

After she had finished, there was a moment of awkward silence in the room before her beloved Gabriel spoke.

"Uh... what?" He said completely dumbfounded.

Alisha lightly chuckles at his reaction before speaking.

"Is that such a surprise? Or perhaps that sort of thing offends you?~" She says in a flighty tone as she smirks.

Gabriel simply rolls his eyes as he responds.

"Angel, you know I don't give a shit about that sort of thing. That's his own personal business. And knowing you, it was probably something you 'picked up' after being around them a couple of times. Honestly, I just had a tough time picturing 'Iron-Assed' Ellison being intimate with anyone, let alone another man."

Alisha lightly chuckles once more before her expression turns serious.

"Then you should also know my Gabriel, that he also suffers from constant nightmares and night-terrors. He has hidden it well to be sure, but all the same he is not as cold as you believe. He hides his suffering and for the sake of his men, he must keep up this facade. For who would have confidence in a leader that broke down at every loss and death? Would that earn faith in his ability? No. It would not."

Gabriel felt a sudden rush of not only understanding, but shame and embarrassment for having not realized what she was saying before. He could only weakly chuckle to himself as such simple but incredibly important facts and details settled in. He sighed in defeat as he gave a self-deprecating smile.

"I'm such an idiot."

"You seem to understand my love. Despite his outward demeanor, he does feel these losses, and when the time is right, he will find a moment to himself to properly face those feelings. Until then, he has the wisdom and experience to know that the world won't stop turning just for him. There will always be times for leaders of men and soldiers to push on, regardless of their pain. When it comes down to it, they have little choice but to do so, because to do otherwise would mean the death and suffering of not only themselves, but all of those under them. That is the essence of the burden of command..."

* * *

As Gabriel opened his eyes from his forced meditation, a small smile forms on his lips as he speaks aloud.

"As usual, you are right my angel. The Keep is now real, with the many thousands of lives that went with it is now in my hands. *sighs* This really isn't the time for me to get self-absorbed. That can wait until later. Right now, I have to do what I have to do." He bites his lower lip, drawing blood as he finishes that sentence.

Gabriel slowly stands up, and as he looks at his equipment that was about 7 meters (22ft 12in) in the distance, he hardens his resolve with a deadly focus in his eyes. One moment he tensed up his leg muscles, and in the next he dashes forward with a speed that made it seem he had teleported.

In quick, smooth motions he dons all of his equipment in succession before walking towards the exit in brisk, powerful strides that communicated renewed energy and purpose.

Unbeknownst to him, as he does so a voice in the depths of his subconscious speaks in a low, but satisfied growl.

 _/"Hmph. That went better than expected. Perhaps there's hope for you yet, little Gabriel. However, your broken link with Alisha caused a lot of damage young one, and there are limits to how much help I can give you in keeping your mental state stable. It further complicates matters that you have no experience regulating the powerful dragonic traits and impulses my soul bestows upon you. I know you can't hear me yet, but be wary Gabriel. Until you have mastered these new traits you are vulnerable..."/_

As the voice in his subconscious fades, Gabriel suddenly turns around in surprise and hurriedly scans his surroundings. After a moment of looking back and forth he turns to resume his approach to the exit as he breathes to relax his nerves.

"Strange. Must have been my imagination."

With those words he places both hands on the double-doors and pushes them forward. Awaiting him in the hall was Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx. Upon seeing his master he had started to cower like a child, expecting to be scolded as he takes a bow.

"W-Welcome back, Lord Gabriel. I-I-I trust the training chamber was up t-t-to your standards?"

Gabriel cocks an eyebrow as he notes the NPC's behavior.

 _'Ah~ah. Yet another one I've managed to frighten. This could end up being a trend.'_

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Gabriel steps forward and reaches out with his right hand. The NPC winces back expecting a punishment, but instead felt a soft and gentle rubbing motion on his head. He slowly opens his eyes to see his master petting his head like he was a dog, and the incubus NPC could not be happier. All his fear vanished like smoke in the wind as his master spoke in calm, soft tones.

"Be at ease. The training chamber was fine, and I apologize if I frightened you. I was simply incensed over something unrelated, and did not wish to take it out on my Keep's loyal troops. Do you understand?" He says with a small smile as he pulls his hand away.

Lynal's face turns differing shades of scarlet as he witnesses Gabriel's brief smile and relishes in his master's demeanor. _'Such a kindly and magnificent lord...'_

"Y-Yes, my lord! This unworthy one offers his thanks!"

 _'Unworthy? Oy. Something else I'll need to address later.'_

"Umu. Good. Now then, I shall be leaving. Contact Charon and have him assist you in reconstructing the chamber. I may have been a little... excessive with my exertions."

"Yes, lord!" Lynal says as he snaps to attention.

With that acknowledgement, Gabriel activates his guild-ring and disappears in a flash of blue light. The incubus NPC Lynal then relaxes his posture after his master's departure and slowly walks towards the training chamber doors as he smiles in thought.

 _'Ah~. Lord Gabriel's hand was so strong, yet gentle and warm. It was... intoxicating. It both soothed and stirred my incubus blood. Argh! Push away such thoughts! First, I must complete the tasks our lord personally gave me. Then I can retire and bed some of the servants to release this pent up energy. But still I wonder, what had upset our lord so? And what did he mean by his exertions being, "excessive"?'_

Just as he had finished his inner musings, Lynal Dexx stepped forward and opened the training chamber doors. He took only a few steps in and he was rendered completely still and speechless from the sight.

There were blood trails that covered nearly every section, with nearly all the training golems and dummies being reduced to pebbles. Then there were entire sections of the stone walls and boulders that had lined the chamber, being in ruins. For all intents and purposes, the training chamber had been completely annihilated.

"Lo... Lord Gabriel did not jest. Lord Charon's help will be needed for repairs. He he he." Lynal chuckled awkwardly as he surveyed the room.

As he was about to turn to the side and use [Message] to contact Charon, a foul odor started to fill the room. His keen senses picked up the source almost immediately as he turned his head to the left. What he saw was the sight of a small puddle of Gabriel's blood boiling and steaming like it was being cooked in a frying pan. He could only stare at the sight in both wonder and fear as a single question flashed in his mind.

 _'What would make Lord Gabriel's blood burn?!'_

* * *

Meanwhile, Gabriel's [Guild Ring] transported him to a set of double-doors with the crest of the guild emblazoned over it. On either side was a lvl-90 Elf Knight Guardian with a height of about 2 meters (6ft 7in) and each equipped a silver/blue tower shield almost as tall as they were in their left hands. In their right hands were halberds with an ax like half at the end that shined with a powerful magical enchantment.

The instant they saw their master they kneeled before him with a great *CRASH!*, in the hallway and greeted him in a formal manner fit for royalty. Gabriel simply waved them off as he entered the double-doors.

"Hm. Good work. As you were."

"Yes, Lord Gabriel!"

He closed the doors behind him as they gave their responses in unison. Gabriel sighed in mild annoyance at their behavior as he gazed at his surroundings. It was a spacious office/study area that Alisha had created shortly after the Keep was conquered. Gabriel rarely visited it and thus this time seeing it, could very well count as his first.

He gazed at a marvelous display of architecture of polished wooden furniture, made from the sturdy oak of Asgardian wood, and the walls of shining blue-steel lined with platinum. Crystal fixtures on the ceiling beaming down a warm light on a room that seemed to calm the heart and the soul. And indeed it did as his hardened facial expression softened as he walked past a moderate sized conference table for twelve.

Gabriel sat behind a large desk made of the same sturdy wooden materials as before. On either side there were four drawers of varying sizes, and on top of the desk was a thin rectangular sheet of crystal that was the magical equivalent of a monitor with a keyboard made of slightly glowing blue crystals. They had no markings at first, but as Gabriel's right hand briefly grazed the surface, the english alphabet as well as other symbols became visible.

"Hm. That's convenient."

As he nonchalantly makes that brief comment, he reaches over to the top drawer on his right side. As he opens it a shining silver object catches his attention. He pulls it out and opens it to find it was a cigarette holder with at least 20 ready to be used. He smiles warmly as he closes it and puts it in his inventory.

"Alisha, you always did have the better sense of humor out of the two of us. When I was younger I was a bit of a smoker, but when we bonded you forced me to quit. You said you hated the smell, even though I looked 'cool' when holding one. Now that I think about it, you once told me to check out the 'Guild-Leader's' office for a present. Things got busy and I never did. *sighs* Now, I'm wishing I had, so I could share in this little practical joke with you."

A single tear escapes the corner of his left eye as he says those words. He closes his eyes and bites his lower lip, drawing blood, trying to stay in control.

"Damn it." He says weakly as his left arm shakes.

Just then a knock is heard from the front doors that pulls him away from his thoughts. He wipes his eye and lower lip before responding.

"Enter."

With that simple word, the double-doors open, letting in the NPCs Walter and Tamura into Gabriel's study. They both took a brief bow as Gabriel got up from his desk and then took a seat at the head of the meeting table.

"Come, take a seat, both of you. It looks like you have some news to share."

"Yes, my lord." They said in unison.

Tamura took a seat to Gabriel's right as she released her staff that floated next to her, and Walter took a seat to his left. They both had a [Crystal Tablet] in their possession that they both laid directly in front of them. Gabriel composes himself in an official manner as he addresses the two NPC guardians.

"Report. What news do you have to share?"

Tamura would be the one to respond with a slight bow.

"Yes, my lord. As you had instructed, we were able to heal and resurrect the foreign soldiers, drakes, and dragons that had arrived. Although the use of torture was banned in interrogations, for the past 3 hours we were able to collect a substantial amount of information from our 'guests' using a combination of potions, charm, and memory magicks..."

Before Tamura could finish Gabriel cocked his eyebrow in surprise.

 _'3 hours? I spent that long in the training chamber raging and meditating? Wonderful...'_

Gabriel was pulled from his thoughts by Tamura's confused expression and questioning.

"Um, my lord? Is something the matter?"

"Hm? No, it's nothing for you to worry about. I was just thinking of something else is all. Please, do continue, and start with the information gathered about the strength level of this world and the nation that our new arrivals came from."

"Ah! Yes, my lord."

She picks up her [Crystal Tablet] and with a wave it activates displaying a wealth of tightly packed text and intel. Walter does the same to follow along with the briefing. She gazes at it intently as she gives her master her report.

"Well, the information gathered all but confirms what we already knew; that we find ourselves in an entirely different world. We were able to learn that, until they had met us, they were under the impression that their commanders were among the strongest known beings in this region of the world. After comparing the information gathered, it seems that the criteria to be considered 'strong' is actually quite low when compared to that of YGGDRASIL. In fact, the average level of strength in this world is incredibly weak."

 _'Hmph. If they think that's bad, I wonder what they would think of Earth.'_ Gabriel muses to himself as Tamura continues the briefing.

"The soldiers and dragons belong to a nation that they previously referred to as the, 'Land of the Drake Riders'. As the name implies they use drakes as mounts for both military and civilian use. Apparently in this world, taming and controlling such creatures is a difficult task and gained that name as a result. They control a sizable portion of these mountain ranges thanks to their breeding and use of drakes, and actually built some of their homes and cities into, on top of, and in the middle of the mountains themselves to ensure their security against most types of invasions. What conventional housing they have is relegated to some flatlands to the north that they use mostly for farming, livestock breeding, and some fairly limited communication with other nations."

Gabriel listened intently, committing every word spoken to memory as she continued.

"Apparently, they follow an isolationist policy and rarely do they engage in regular trade and diplomatic relations with other countries. In fact, theirs is a peaceful nation that would normally prioritize internal concerns over external. In recent years they went through a change in leadership. The previous monarchy, which was headed by a frost dragon by the name of Rahkar Ailouros, was violently overthrown by an unknown female creature that called itself, 'Bwynleah Veinun'."

Tamura's expression changed from neutral to grim as she continued.

"According to the second-in-command of the 'drake flight', the previous king was a firm, but fair ruler that treated his subjects with dignity and respect, regardless of their race. He was fairly well loved and ruled over the nation since it was founded nearly 200 years ago. However, the now current ruler was described as a, 'monstrous bitch' by nearly all those we had detained. She tore a bloody swath through the royal family in her violent takeover nearly 2 years ago. She... uh, um."

Tamura had a disgusted look on her face that indicated that she was not going to continue the briefing. Noticing this, Walter pushed up his glasses and continued the briefing in her place with a solemn tone of voice.

"According to the reports, she had not only killed the members of the dragonic royal family, but she devoured them, with some of her victims still alive during the ordeal. Out of the 21 dragons that comprised the royal family, only 7 had survived. Out of the 14 that were eaten, 6 were younglings. The survivors in question would be the 6 we have here, and the former king who is currently imprisoned in an unknown location..."

Just as Walter finished that portion of the briefing, the sound of cracking could be heard from Gabriel. His face had a frightening focus as he stared to his front. Walter looked down and saw that Gabriel was gripping and tightening his fists so hard that the audible sounds of his bones under the pressure could not be missed. Gabriel noticed Walter and Tamura staring at him and took a few deep breaths to calm down before speaking in neutral tones.

"I can understand why you did not wish to continue the briefing Tamura. Just that small piece of information alone made me swell with disgust and hatred. *sighs* Am I to assume that this 'Bwynleah Veinun' was the one that ordered these poor souls to the doorstep of Dracon's Keep?"

"An astute observation, my lord. According to the memories of an 'Ericah Sabine', they were ordered here as part of an 'expansion plan' by their queen. At least, that is what they were led to believe." Tamura said with sad tones as she looked over her tablet.

"Pawns for something else then?" Gabriel said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"Indeed, my lord. Apparently she learned all too late that their 'general' had been given orders separate from what they were told. From what she deduced, it seems that they were sent here not to communicate, invade, control, or conquer. They were sent here in a deliberate move to start a conflict. For what reason she did not know..." Her voice trails off as a sadness overcame her once again.

Gabriel notices this and speaks to Tamura in a kind and calm tone of voice.

"I know what you are feeling Tamura. I feel it as well. We ended up killing people who were little more than innocent pawns in someone else's schemes."

He places his right hand on her left. Her eyes then dart to her master's the instant he does this, causing her cheeks to flush pink.

"They were the victims in this. All we can do right now, is try to help these people as best we can, so that we may be able to make up for our mistakes. Do you understand?"

"Um, yes! Yes, my lord. I do. Thank you."

"You are welcome." He says with a brief smile before he moves his hand back.

For a split second Tamura has a look of loss and disappointment on her face as Gabriel does so. Walter quietly smirks as he sees this, and Gabriel does not notice as he was focusing to his front and he cupped his chin before speaking.

"That dragon who was in command, I believe he called himself General Ohrly'ress Ailouros. I take it that his resurrection and interrogation was delayed due to him falling down the 5 km (3.11 mi) chasm I sent him over?"

"Um, that is correct my lord. I greatly apologize for the delay. His body was among the last to be retrieved, and the terrain and condition of the body after we had retrieved it complicated matters."

Gabriel lifted his hand and shook his head in response.

"You have nothing to apologize for, Tamura. In fact, it could not be helped in this case. So, while we wait for further information from the general's interrogation, tell me more about this, 'Bwynleah Veinun'. I want to know exactly what we're dealing with here."

Walter and Tamura looked at each other with expressions of hesitation for a moment. Then Walter pushed up his glasses before speaking.

"Well, sir, as previously stated, it appears that she is a creature of unknown origins and of an unknown species. Neither the soldiers, nor the dragons had ever seen or heard of her like, and our records and bestiaries likewise do not have a match for her. From the descriptions provided, she is about 8 ½ feet (2.6 meters) tall with the shapely body of a humanoid female, has the head, tail, clawed hands, and feet of a female lizardman, with deep black scales that glows a feint purple aura. She also has black dreadlocks that reaches down the middle of her back. They were described as having the look of an 'oily flesh-like tar'. Her eyes are grey and purple in color, and when she speaks, it has been described as, 'unsettling', as it sounds like that there are two female voices overlapping with each other."

As Walter finished his descriptions of the creature known as Bwynleah, he noticed a subtle change from his master. Gabriel's body was completely still, with not a single muscle having so much as twitched. His eyes were narrowed, steely, and focused, and his demeanor was calm and pensive.

Walter expected some measure of surprise or hint of uncertainty from his master over the descriptions of a creature that was unlike anything these new world inhabitants knew, or anything that they knew of from the realms of YGGDRASIL. However, neither he nor Tamura detected any of that from their master. Just as he was about to ask him a question regarding such thoughts, Gabriel turns his head to look directly at him.

"Hm? Something wrong, Walter? You stopped the briefing."

"Oh, no sir. Nothing... is wrong. My apologies for the delay."

"Hm. That's fine. Do continue the briefing." Gabriel said as his eyes once more focused straight ahead with his hands supporting his head.

Walter pushed his and Tamura's confusion aside as he followed his instructions and continued the briefing.

"Ahem. Of course, sir. Well, little is known of her abilities, other than the fact she was able to engage multiple dragons single-handedly. Given what little concrete information we have regarding her strength we can only speculate. If the dragons we have here are indicative of the ones she faced, then it would be reasonable to estimate her strength level to be around lvl-65, minimum."

"Hm. That's fine, Walter. It can't be helped. It only makes sense that this Bwynleah would keep her abilities under wraps. I would as well. Now then, tell me of her reign, and more specifically, the key events that led to those in her own royal guard to refer to her as 'monstrous'. As deplorable as her actions against the previous royal family were, I get the feeling that there is more to it."

Walter clears his throat with an exaggerated cough before continuing.

"You would be correct, sir. There is more, although the contents are a bit... disturbing."

"Go on."

"Yes, sir. First details of her takeover are vague, but after her rise to power and the imprisonment of the former king, there was widespread discontent and there were some attempts at rebellion. These were violently put down by her personally and it had instilled great fear of her strength and power. Those who had participated in the rebel actions and survived, or had spoken out against her were not killed. Instead, she had employed a... different means of punishment."

"Go on, Walter. What happened?"

"By this point sir, she had total control over the populous, and her first act of putting down any future rebellion would be to seize and kill every first born child in her lands. She would then use their remains as raw materials in the creation of spell scrolls and as nourishment for herself. In addition, as a further act of punishment for those who went against her, she would forcefully take to her bed every male who had been part of the rebellion, who had supported it, or those who had just said a few words out of turn. After these events, the population had been completely cowed into submission."

"..."

Silence filled the air of Gabriel's study as Walter had completed his report. Tamura had an uncomfortable look on her face. Not just from the contents of the briefing, but also in anticipation for their master's reaction. Walter kept a poker-face on all the while and braced himself for another violent outburst from their master.

As for Gabriel himself, he was disturbingly quiet for the next few minutes as he parsed the contents of the report. To say it offended every fiber of his being would have been a massive understatement. Such acts were without any sort of restraint or concept of morality. They perfectly fit the word, 'monster'.

And yet, he remained perfectly still. As much as the two NPCs worried over Gabriel's reaction to their report, they found themselves even more shaken by his silence and stillness. Then Gabriel took in a deep breath that seemed to suck in all the air from the room, held it for over 30 seconds, and as he released it again it was like his breath itself was a wave of heat that washed over the entirety of the room.

That wave of heat had given them chills down the lengths of their spines, as they could feel his torrent of rage and cavalcade other emotions coming from it. Then they knew that their master was anything but calm, and was restraining himself for their sakes. Not a word was spoken as both the NPCs took a respectful bow towards their master.

 _'Damn it. Not good. I almost lost control again. Only those breathing control exercises I learned from my godmother helped. I'm a bit out of practice though. I feel like a martial arts rookie, having to relearn a lot of what that old lady taught me. After I married and bonded with Alisha, it's a practice I stopped, along with meditation. Whatever control issues I had, Alisha compensated for, and vice versa...'_

Just then there was a series of knocks at the entrance doors. Gabriel calmly bade the other party to enter, and an unassuming young human man entered. He wore a plain grey colored attire with a jacket that had a neck collar. He was about 5ft 10in (178cm) tall, had a lean build with an approximate weight of 179lbs (81.2kg), orange hair, and brown eyes. Age-wise, he appeared to be in his 20s. He took a full bow before speaking.

"A thousand pardons for the interruption. Officer Garren Black of the Intel Corps reporting with updated information regarding one of the prisoners."

"Oh? Which prisoner?" Tamura asked.

"Ma'am! It is the frost dragon named Ohrly'ress Ailouros."

Tamura looks over to her master for approval and Gabriel nods as he waves the new arrival over. The lvl-5 human NPC complies immediately with a stern and focused expression on his face.

Once at his master's side, he pulls a small tablet similar to the ones Walter and Tamura were using and hands it over. Gabriel takes the tablet with a, "Thank you", and the NPC became flustered and red faced as he took a bow and forcefully and awkwardly spoke.

"T-Thank you very much, my lord!"

Gabriel looked at the NPC for a few seconds with a raised eyebrow, and then went to scan the contents of the report. At first, he didn't seem to find the contents all that surprising, with his facial features focused, unchanging, casual even.

However, as he continued to peruse the contents, his expression gradually changed and contorted into that of outrage and anger. The whites of his eyes became bloodshot and his breathing had quickened. The sudden change put Tamura and Walter on alert, while Garren Black started shaking in fear, sensing his master's ire. Once again, Gabriel takes a deep breath, and once again exhales releasing a wave of room filling heat.

After a moment of an exceedingly tense atmosphere, Gabriel speaks up in a calm, but steely voice.

"Walter, Tamura. We'll be going to the cell where Ohrly'ress Ailouros is being held. Bring your tablets so you can further brief me on some of the smaller details. Garren Black, is it? Lead us there."

"Y-Yes my lord!" The human NPC says, clearly shaken by his master's reaction and sudden change.

As he was about to lead his superiors out the doors, he feels the warm hand of his master Gabriel on his left shoulder, and he tenses up. He turns his head to see his master with a small smile, and then Gabriel speaks to him in soft and calm tones.

"Relax kid. Unless my anger is directed at you, there should be no reason to fear it. Remaining as high-strung as you are now will only impede your performance. Alright?"

"Yes, my lord. I shall remember it!" Garren says happily as his master's words seemed to wash away his apprehension.

He leads his superiors with extra spring in his step as he resumes walking. As he does so, Gabriel's smile fades and it replaced with an intense expression as they walk out into the grand hall of the 8th floor. Their next stop, the holding cells of the 2nd floor

* * *

Wind whistled in the air of a medium sized stone room, with walls that was covered in a layer of frost. The only real sources of light appeared to be a half dozen rectangular openings that lined the top of the walls that connected to the ceiling. Each one had a length of about 12in (30.5cm), and a width of about 5in (12.7cm). Though these openings provided light, it was also apparent they were the source of the cold winds.

A brown, fur carpet lined the floor, and two thick iron doors were facing each other on the opposite sides of the room. Suddenly, one of those iron doors opened with a great metallic wail, and a moment later two young, fit men entered this freezing chamber. Both appeared to be in their early 20s, with brown hair, and both were wearing nothing but a thin, white towel that was wrapped around their waists.

As soon as they both entered, the iron door closed behind them with a great metallic *BANG!*, that echoed off the walls. The two fit young men shivered and were loudly complained to each other about how cold it was as they spoke.

"Damn, it is colder than a frost dragon's spit in here! What kind of training is this supposed to be anyway?!"

"I-I think it was 'survival training' they called it. Those drinks t-they g-gave before we got in here i-is supposed to help keep u-us warm."

"Then wha...?"

Suddenly, the iron door opposite the one they came out of opened, and not a second later a female, feline-type beastman with white fur and a slim, lithe body trotted in completely naked, with a large bust that seemed to bounce with each step taken inside the freezing chamber. As the iron doors closed behind her, she wore a full faced grin as she gazed at the two young men with hungry eyes.

The two men for their part were stunned. Not just because of the state of the newest arrival, but because of the looks of recognition in their eyes as they simultaneously spoke the name of the feline beastman.

"Commander Sabine?!"

"Yo! How's it goin' recruits? Pretty cold, huh? That's good. Let me fill ya' in on point of this training. Short version is tha' in these mountains, at any given point ya' could find yourselves stranded without you' mounts. When tha' happens, it's usually a good idea to hol' up somewhere till help arrives, or the weather improves enough for ya' ta go out and try ta make it home yourselves. Makes sense?" She says with a grin.

The two young men silently nod as they continue to gaze at her bare bust, with her twin pink peaks at attention. Seeing this, Ericah Sabine laughs out loud before speaking.

"Ha ha ha ha! You two are just too damn cute! Come here an' get warm!" She says with a smile as she suddenly steps forward and holds the two young men in her arms.

At 6ft 11in (211cm) she was taller than most humans, so when she embraced them their heads only went up to her chest, which she seemed more than happy to press into their faces. Their bare skin pressed against her white fur, and indeed they were the warmer for it. Still, completely shocked at this one of the men spoke up.

"C-Commander?! W-What's going on?!"

"Oh?~ Don' cha kno'? You wanna survive in cold environments, sometimes you gotta combine body heat. It's one of tha reasons why everyone goes out in groups instead of alone."

"Y-Yes, I understand commander, b-but isn't that what the potion is for?"

"Hmm.~ Not exactly. Well, the potion _YOU_ were given will make ya' hot, but not in tha way you're thinkin'. He he he."

Ericah chuckled mischievously as the two young men were dumbfounded, not getting the meaning behind her words. Just as one of them was about to ask, they both started to breathe shallower, harder breaths. They felt excited for some inexplicable reason, but more than that they both felt their manhoods coming alive and pressing into their commander through their towels. They both flushed pink while Ericah heartily laughed.

"Haha! Looks like it's workin' now. What? Don' feel embarrassed.~ We're gonna spend the next several hours together. It's only fair that a couple of handsome, single young cherries like yourselves get somethin' out of it." She licks her lips as she suddenly tears their towels away and swiftly grabs each of their buttocks in each of her hands.

"C-Commander? A-Are you..." One of the men tried to say nervously before being cut off by a friendly voice.

"Oh, no.~ Right now, you two get to call me Ericah, my fine young cherries.~" She says in a sultry manner as she lifts them up slightly and lowers them both down to the fur carpet as the two young men exclaimed the same thing in unison.

"SHE'S THE CHERRY PICKER!"

To which, Ericah's only reply is a hearty, room echoing laugh.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

* * *

"Oi. Ericah. Wake up. Ericah? *sighs* Damn. She's completely out of it." Gatoh says tiredly as he sits next to his friend and commander trying to wake her, with his wife and comrade Relina at his side.

Ericah Sabine slept quite comfortably as she grinned in her sleep, purring loudly as her tail bounced from side to side. Then suddenly she reached over and grabbed Gatoh and hugged him like a lover. Of course, Gatoh was not amused as he pushed back, now raising his voice, with his wife Relina next to the bed doing the same.

"WAKE UP YOU FELINE HARLOT!" They yelled in unison.

Ericah stirred and her eyes fluttered open as she let out a hearty yawn. She then looks at Gatoh and grins as she spoke.

"Why Gatoh Dahlek.~ I had no idea you liked me like that. Oh, hey Relina.~ So is this gonna be a three's company typa' thing? If so, Imma up for it!~"

"NO!" They exclaimed in unison.

"Nothing of the sort is happening here! You were asleep when you suddenly grabbed onto my husband!" Relina shot back, red-faced in frustration and embarrassment.

Gatoh for his part was also red-faced, with a deadpan expression as he looked at Ericah with a look in his eye that communicated, "Can you let me go now?" She grinned and chuckled as she realized this and released him. Gatoh promptly backed away to Relina's side as they watch their comrade stretch and yawn like she had woken up from a full night's rest.

She sat up and looked around to find themselves in a cell of some kind. The walls were made of a grey, smooth, and polished stone-like material she didn't recognize. Three plain white beds lined each wall denoting that they each had one to themselves. In the middle of the room was a plain square stone table with four round seats attached to it.

To her right was a small alcove that had a toilet, a shower stall, and a sink with handles for what she assumed was running water. Never in her life had she seen such effort put into a prisoner holding area. The ones she saw were almost always crude dungeons with little in the way of comfort or sanitation. The only things she saw that ever came close were holding areas for VIPs, which still astonished her.

She then looked at the garb she wore, which was a simple white and blue striped long-sleeved shirt and pants that had fit her perfectly. In fact, it felt extremely soft and comfortable to wear. She couldn't understand such treatment for prisoners, let alone those that were part of an invading party. Then she suddenly remembered something important as her hand went to her chest. Shouldn't she be dead?

Her comrades picked up on this as they saw her reaction, and Gatoh spoke up in his usual calm demeanor.

"It appears we have been healed, and you were resurrected. Don't ask us how or even why. I don't remember much, aside from seeing some maidens in pink garb treating my wounds. When I woke up, Relina was at my side and you were there. Asleep, but alive, much to our relief." Gatoh and Relina slightly smile and nod to Ericah as he finishes speaking.

At first, Ericah was at a loss for words, but then she recalled the dragon in their unit, Yrsae'diosah Ailouros. She was a kindly and compassionate female dragon who could use healing and resurrection magic. Knowing this it made sense that a group that could trample them underfoot as if they were nothing, and have a gigantic castle atop a snow covered mountain, would also be able to resurrect the dead.

Just as she was about to ask questions, both her comrades jumped on her and hugged her tightly. No words were spoken. None were needed as she returned their embrace of relief and friendship. She smiled as she realized that, despite the circumstances, she was glad to be alive and that her treasured friends made it out with her.

Still, not being able to help herself, she decided to suddenly kiss each of them on the cheek. She expected some reaction, but instead they just hugged her even tighter now. When they did, she could not help but let tears fall from each of her eyes as she silently cried tears of joy with her friends. For what seemed an eternity the three friends sat in their silent embrace.

Suddenly, a muffled *CRASH!* gently shakes the walls and brings them back to the moment. They look around in worry, wondering what had caused such a tremor. Little did they realize that is was something related to current and past situations taking place in an adjacent chamber not far from them.

* * *

 **-10 MINUTES EARLIER, IN ANOTHER LOCATION-**

Gabriel walked with the NPCs, Commander Walter Bernard Montgomery on his right, and Vice-Commander Tamura Oakenfold on his left while the NPC Garren Black had led them to a large set of double doors. They were quite plain in appearance as they had a dull grey sheen to them, but those appearances were deceiving as they could withstand a magic attack up to the 8th-tier and were sealed by equally powerful magic.

Those doors led to the holding area for the dragon Ohrly'ress Ailouros, and they were guarded by a pair of lvl-80 Golem Knights, who instantly recognized the new arrivals and thus stepped aside for them. Garren Black touched the doors with both hands and ten symbols suddenly lit up. He pressed six of them in sequence and then light flashed and then vanished, followed by a clicking sound that indicated the doors were unlocked.

After that was done, the human NPC stepped to the side with a bow and allowed his superiors Gabriel, Walter, and Tamura to step forward. With Gabriel to the front he pushed the double doors forward which made almost no sound at all, and they walked into the holding area.

The metal doors closed behind them as they stopped for a moment to gaze upon the only prisoner inside. Chained and asleep along the far wall with light crystals shining down on his bluish scales was Ohrly'ress Ailouros, having been relieved of the armor he formerly wore. The dragon had silver colored chains attached to his four limbs, tail, torso, main body, and his pair of wings.

Although it may have been a bit much, Gabriel didn't seem to care as he gazed at the dragon with fury in his eyes. He walked forward and was about to be followed by both Walter and Tamura, only to be waved off by him as they did. Both silently obeyed with a small bow.

As Gabriel approached, the dragon slowly stirred, as if reacting to his presence, and its eyes lazily lifted open. It looked to the left, and then to the right, and its expression hardly changed as it did so. Ohrly'ress did not seem to be surprised that he was alive and in chains. What's more, he was not shocked at the sight of the one that killed him. It was more like, he was expecting it as he spoke in low tones with a slight toothy grin.

"And so you have come at last. What do you want, o' mighty one?" He said mockingly.

By this time, Gabriel was right in front of his snout. He did not respond with words, but instead he threw his right foot and leg vertically straight up, kicking Ohrly'ress' head up into the air. His head was lifted up enough so as to be bounced off the stone ceiling overhead and came crashing back down to the ground. It was enough that the whole of the room shook violently, but it appeared to take little effort on Gabriel's part.

The dragon Ohrly'ress groaned loudly from the sudden head trauma and was still very much alive and conscious. It could have been considered a miraculous feat, if not for the fact that it was Gabriel's intention all along to not kill Ohrly'ress, but to make him more "receptive" to his questioning. Gabriel then spoke up with barely contained anger, disgust, and contempt in his voice.

"I want to know... why did you do it?"

"Ugh... heh. Why did I do what now?" Ohrly'ress said grinning, with sarcasm in his voice.

Gabriel however was in no mood for sarcasm as he stomped on the dragon's snout, drawing copious amounts of blood and shaking the floor once again. He then lifted his right foot off and shouted at Ohrly'ress with a voice that spewed forth both wrath and heat that left all present unsettled.

"YOU KNOW GODDAMNED WELL OF WHAT I SPEAK! YOU BETRAYED YOU OWN FAMILY AND COUNTRY TO ENABLE THAT MONSTER BWYNLEAH TO TAKE OVER! I WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU! WHY DID YOU DO IT?! AND THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU LIE TO ME!"

Cracking sounds could be heard from Gabriel's right hand as he finished venting his anger and hatred towards the dragon and his actions. However, as Ohrly'ress body had begun to tremble, that is not what had caught his attention as he looked upon the powerful human.

As Gabriel's eyes looked down upon him, he was bathed with a murderous intent he had never experienced in his whole life. Moreover, they had started to glow with an otherworldly light that resembled emerald colored flames. In addition, as Gabriel began to grit his teeth, Ohrly'ress could have sworn that the man's canine teeth had become even more pronounced.

He felt that he was doomed regardless of what he said, so with the resignation of a death-row prisoner, he resolved to answer the question with unfiltered honesty. It felt strangely comforting to the dragon to be completely open about his desires, and although trembling, he tried to hold onto the last vestiges of his pride as he answered with a grin.

"Why you ask? To gain further power. To ascend to greater heights, to live my life as I please, and to no longer live in the shadow of my father and my former older siblings. We had power enough to conquer the neighboring countries, and yet what did they do with it? Coddle the weak masses, watch over and protect them as if they were our own children, and denied me my right to rule over my own domain!"

Ohrly'ress briefly forgot his own fear as he remembered his own venom and spite.

"My older brother Zai'kahal, who wore that armor before me. He was always so proud, so virtuous, so sanctimonious that it made me sick! He would never shut up about our 'duties to the people', when they were our lessers! He would let the children of our human and demi-human subjects ride on his back for their amusement, and did so all with a smile. And our father?! He had it all, and squandered it on stupid, meaningless things like 'love' and 'contentment', and always denying me on own place!"

The dragon's words were now completely unfiltered as he lost himself to his memories and all but forgot his company. Gabriel for his part listened quietly, but still looked at the dragon Ohrly'ress with an ever growing disgust.

"Then I found her on the borders of our territory on the plains. She simply radiated with power! She took what she wanted and let no one stop her. She was beautiful and the pleasure she could bestow had no equal. As we spent more time together, I discovered that in her I found a kindred, and through her all obstacles to power and greatness would be washed away, and everything I ever desired would be mine!"

Gabriel broke his silence as he spoke in cold, but powerful tones, and looked upon the dragon with a desire to kill that made the air around him thick and heavy.

"That's it? All for your own selfishness, jealousy, envy, and pride, you would set traps for your kin, so that this Bwynleah could systematically ambush and slaughter them? All for that, you would feign falling in battle to her, while she tore through your home and ate your mother and siblings alive?"

There was no hesitation in the dragon as he answered with a forced smile.

"Yes, it was. I would no longer be denied my desires, and try to pretend to be something I am not."

Gabriel lowered his head as he digested what Ohrly'ress had just confessed to him. As disgusted as he was, at the same time he had to admit to himself that he wasn't all that surprised. He had seen plenty of examples of Ohrly'ress and his actions back in his own world. He had seen it with regular citizens, politicians, crime syndicates, and even with the vampires and werewolves of his world.

Although it disgusted and enraged him back then, for some reason that he could not explain, this instance felt more... personal. Perhaps it was because he had become involved in such schemes when he lost himself? He could not definitively say. It was a feeling that continually gnawed at him. As he turned away from Ohrly'ress he made his decision, but before he could take four steps, the dragon called out to him in surprise.

"Where are you going?!"

Gabriel stopped moving and did not bother turning around to face him as he replied.

"I will leave your judgement to your father, after I have killed Bwynleah and freed him from whatever hole she locked him up in."

Ohrly'ress was completely dumbfounded by the declaration. If it came from anyone else he would have written it off as madness. However, with as close to the human as he was, there was no doubt in his mind that he was powerful.

More than that his senses still told him that this human had some relation to dragons. He was in no position to ask questions about it, but he was curious about one thing as Gabriel left him alone in his cell, and thought to himself in silence.

 _'Who would win between them?'_

* * *

Back in the holding cell with Ericah Sabine, and Gatoh and Relina Dahlek, all was relatively quiet. Relina paced back and forth, with her husband leaning against a nearby wall watching her. Meanwhile, Ericah was in her bed with her hands behind her head and her legs folded over each other in a relaxed position. In fact, out of the three of them, Ericah was the most relaxed, while Relina was the most high-strung.

"Ya' know, you're gonna give your pretty face some premature wrinkles if ya' don't try to calm down a lil'.~" Ericah said calmly with her eyes closed.

"Calm down? Calm down?! We're prisoners inside a magic fortress that appeared out of nowhere! How can I be calm?! And that man-shaped monster that almost killed Gatoh and killed you?! I never want to see him again!"

Gatoh could only sigh as his wife's indignation flowed freely and unfiltered. Then Ericah spoke up again, still being the picture of calm.

"Oh, I don't know about that."

"Don't know about what?" Relina asked in confusion.

"Well, there are two things. First, Imma' not completely sure he's a monster."

Relina was going to retort, but she held back while she looked at her husband Gatoh, who was nodding in acknowledgement. Out of all of them, Ericah was the one who could best judge a person's character, even from the briefest of exchanges. If Ericah could say something like that about someone who had killed her, then Relina had little room to argue the point, even if she didn't like it. Then she spoke up again.

"Ugh! Alright, fine. If you say so. What's the second thing?"

"That your wish to, 'never see him again', will not be granted."

"Huh? What are you..."

Just then she was interrupted by what sounded like a lock clicking over. She went to her husband's side and they held each other's hands waiting for what came next. Ericah didn't bother to look and remained in her casual position as the door opened, and in stepped the very topic of their discussion, Gabriel Erin Dracon.

Gatoh and Relina were visibly shocked by his sudden appearance in a prisoner holding cell, as it went against all they knew about ruler's etiquette. They knew he ruled this place, and also knew that the customary action for someone of such high standing was to have prisoners brought before them in a secure location. However, Gabriel's actions defied all their logic and common sense.

Gabriel was unarmed and had no weapons of any kind on his person as he waved off his servants and the metal door closed behind him, further shocking them. Of course, they knew from personal experience that even if they were armed, they wouldn't be a threat to this man. His was the strength that defied classification, and outclassed even the old tales of the Thirteen Heroes of legend. As a result, the couple retreated near Ericah.

As for Gabriel himself, all it took was but a glance for him to figure out that the married couple were afraid of him. He was taken aback by the fact that the feline beastman was not at all worried by his presence. Her posture was completely relaxed and unguarded.

 _'I remember killing her in my out-of-control state. Her name is Ericah Sabine, according to the reports. I also remember that she met her death with a smile and a ridiculous pun. She's one of the few I have ever seen in my life that could do something like that.'_

Gabriel finished his inner musings and stood motionless for a few seconds. He kept a blank expression on his face to ensure that no hostility could be transmitted before speaking in a calm and soft tone.

"Please, do not be afraid. I am not here to harm you. I only wish to talk."

As Gatoh and Relina stood next to Ericah, who by now was looking at Gabriel from the corner of her right eye, Relina herself shook in her husband's arms. However, it wasn't fear she was shaking from, but anger as she responded to Gabriel's overtures with a voice that growled with resentment.

"Talk? Talk?! Why did you come here?! To mock us with your terrible jokes?!"

Gabriel's expression softened a little at her provocation as he sank into thought.

 _'She has a fair point. Why did I come here? After everything I learned and after listening to that bastard Ohrly'ress, I just let my feet carry me here without direction or thought. Walter objected to me talking with them alone, but I disregarded his words entirely. Now? Perhaps I should just be frank and open with them.'_

Just as Gabriel lets out a tired sigh, a calm yet playful voice cuts into the heavy and tense atmosphere.

"Okay then.~ Relina, please be quiet right now. I can get why you're angry, but for now let tha man talk."

"Wha...? Ericah, how can _YOU_ not be angry?! He killed you!" Relina hissed with spite.

"And he brought us back to life.~ Not to mention the fact that I don't hear a single anguished cry or scream of torture. With my great hearing I can hear the exact opposite happening next door. Hm.~ Sounds like Balck, Durah, and that pretty little elf girl Sawah are having a bit of fun with each other to pass the time. Ah!~ I'm so jealous." Ericah says in a flighty tone of voice.

Upon Ericah finishing her sentence, Relina and Gatoh were both red-faced with shock and surprise, while Gabriel cocked an eyebrow and let out a small smile as he lowered his head in thought.

 _'She truly is their commander. Her logic and judgment is top-notch. Although her method is unorthodox, to say the least, she took charge of the situation and prevented it from devolving into a shouting session. Perhaps speaking with her will help keeps things on track as I try to navigate my mindless stumble in here.'_

"Commander Sabine, might you join me at this table for our talks?" Gabriel says as he gestures towards the center table with an open hand.

"Hm? Sure. Why not?~" She replies with a shrug as she speaks in a casual tone.

Ericah gets up and stretches as she looks at Gotah and Relina, who were looking at her with looks of worry and apprehension. Noticing this, Ericah patted each of them on the shoulders, smiled, and motioned for them to takes seats on her bed. They complied while she took her seat at the table. Gabriel follow suit and sat across from her.

"Thank you, Commander Sabine."

"Eh, no problem. If it's not too much to ask, can we just drop tha titles? I kno' we're uninvited guests in your home, but maybe we can get off to a better foot, no? Tha name's Ericah. You're Gabriel, right?"

"That's correct. A pleasure." Gabriel says as he extends his hand across the table for Ericah.

Understanding the gesture she takes his hand and they share a friendly handshake.

Meanwhile, Gatoh and Relina were completely dumbfounded at the sight of their friend and leader being so casual and familiar with not only the man who killed her, but the leader of the fortress. What's more, he was also responding to it with a similar casual demeanor. They could not understand it as they sat in shock and silence.

"So, then.~ What can we do for ya'?" Ericah says casually, causing her friends to grimace even further.

At first, Gabriel didn't answer. He stared down at Ericah's white, fur covered hands with a pensive expression. Then he lowered his head into a full bow as he spoke in a sincere and apologetic tone, laced with sorrow and regret.

"I am sorry for what happened to your people, and the part I played in it. Words alone cannot express the grief I feel. I lost control of myself and my power, and had no idea what was going on until it was too late. I am truly, truly sorry."

For several minutes there was a crisp, dead silence over the room after Gabriel hung his head low and issued his heartfelt and sincere apology. Gabriel kept his head in a bow as the three before him parsed his actions and his words.

Gatoh and Relina were thrice shocked at the display. Relina felt that the whole room was spinning as she gasped for air and held onto her husband for dear life. Ever the rock, Gatoh himself kept his wife propped up as he sweated profusely from his own shock, but still remained upright and strong. He looked toward his friend Ericah, and even from looking at her back he could tell she was as calm as a still lake.

Ericah had her head propped up on her interlaced hands as she looked upon Gabriel with respect and sadness. If she had any doubts as to the character of the man, they were very nearly erased by this point. Given that, she sighed with resignation and fatigue as she spoke.

"Just one question. Has everyone in my unit been revived like we and our excited next door comrades were?"

"Yes. Every single one has received resurrection and healing. You have my vow on that." Gabriel lifted his head and looked Ericah Sabine in the eye as he said this.

She could tell that there was no lie in his words. Even as the thought of healing and resurrecting so many made her head spin from just how unbelievable it sounded, she knew in her heart of hearts he spoke the truth.

She peered over her left shoulder and saw that her comrades were near the point of fainting from all the has been said in the last few minutes. She couldn't blame them. Her own heart was a whirlwind of different emotions that ranged from excitement, fear, and wonder.

 _'What CAN'T these people do?'_ , she mused to herself.

However, before she lost herself to such thoughts, there was something she had to say first.

"On behalf of the Royal Air Guard, I accept your apology, and I thank you for reviving my people." Ericah said with uncharacteristic seriousness as she herself took a bow, which shocked her friends to no end.

She then lifted up her head and spoke in a serious tone.

"However Sir Gabriel, considering you did kill me, I ask for one small concession to make up for all that has been done."

"Hm. That's reasonable. Name it." Gabriel replied with no hesitation as he looked upon her with her with focus.

Ericah folded her arms and smiled as she spoke again.

"When all this is done, and we get to go home, I want you to bed me."

"..."

"Eh?" Said Relina.

"Huh?" Said Gatoh.

"WHAT?!"

Gabriel could only blink in surprise at the unorthodox request as Gatoh and Relina cried out in unison and started to berate their friend for her audacity.

"What the HELL are you saying Ericah?!" Exclaimed Relina.

"This is too much even for you." Gatoh said as he shook his head.

"What? He did say I could name what I wanted, and he does owe me, so the next time he sticks it in me I would like to actually enjoy it." She says with a grin.

Gabriel on the other hand was as unamused as Ericah's friends as he propped his head up with his right hand and rubbed his temple as he groaned.

"Hm?~ Something wrong?" Ericah asked nonchalantly.

"Ugh. Fer cryin' out loud woman. _Phrasing._ "

"Oh? Is such a thing really that important?~"

"YES!" "YES!" "YES!" Gabriel, Relina, and Gatoh exclaimed near simultaneously.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Ericah lets out hearty laughter as she basks in their discomfort.

Gabriel could only smile as he realized what had happened. With her tactless demeanor and her exceedingly unorthodox request, she had wiped away all the tension that had built up in the air.

If he had to be perfectly honest, Gabriel needed a moment of levity like this, even though he knew the feline beastman was completely serious about her compensation. He also had to admit that she had him there. He did owe her and the method by which he paid back his debt to her and his conscience mattered very little.

"Very well. I agree."

"WHAT?!" The couple again exclaimed.

"Alright! I never done it with a ruler before. This should be something!~"

Gabriel lifted up his hand before she could continue, indicating that he was about to speak.

"That will be later. For now, I would like to speak to the Dahleks, if they are willing." Gabriel's expression was serious as he spoke.

Ericah picked right up on it and nodded in the affirmative. She looks at the couple and nodded to them to answer. It would be Gatoh who would answer, and unlike his friend he would do so with a measure of decorum.

"Yes, Lord Dracon. What would you have of us?"

"Nothing of any sort. I only wished to offer my personal condolences. After you and the rest of your unit were brought in here, I learned many things. I know of what happened with Bwynleah."

As soon as Gabriel ended his statement both Gatoh's and Relina's expressions became dark and haunted. In that instant both their minds were flooded with memories they had long tried to bury, and filled Relina with anger and hatred as she gritted her teeth.

"What would you know about it? Safe in this mighty fortress where no one could touch you? We lost our son, and for what crime? Just one or two words spoken out of hand. That was all that monstrous bitch needed to justify taking our son away from us, and for... for... my husband... "

She could not go on as Relina buried her face into her husband's chest, letting her tears flow, while Gatoh remained her rock, but a close enough look could tell that he too was unnerved and wanted to cry, but held them in.

Gabriel could understand her sentiments. How could anyone really understand what they had been through? Ordinarily, Gabriel wasn't one to bare his heart to people he barely knew, but an impulse he couldn't explain filled him to prove them wrong. He clenched his right fist as he too spoke with grief and pain in his voice.

"Young lady, if you think I don't understand how you feel, you would be very wrong. Not a day before you and your party showed up on my doorstep, I had lost my wife."

That single statement snapped Relina back to Gabriel, and all three of them locked their sight on the mighty warrior-lord that laid them all low with his power. Now however, they did not see him as that, but a man who, much like them, was carrying around pain and grief. They could tell his pain was real, and in that moment, a certain kinship began to form as he continued to speak.

"Her name was Alisha. I was just a young brat of 15 when I first met her, but from that day on she was the world to me. Alisha and I molded this place together, and it was here that she died in my arms, struck down by an assassin, with no way to heal her and no way to save her. I was powerless to do anything..." Gabriel grit his teeth so hard that his gums bled, and a single tear fell from each of his eyes as he looked straight into theirs.

"Don't be so quick to think that I don't understand how you feel. However, unlike my wife, where I lost my chance to even avenge her, you have that chance standing before you now."

In that instant Gabriel stood up and stepped towards them by a few feet.

"I will not allow this wretch who rules over your nation go unpunished. I declare here and now, that Bwynleah Veinun to be my enemy, and I swear to you both, on my blood and on the blood of all her victims, that she will die by my hands!"

The husband and wife duo were rendered speechless by the declaration. As their eyes widened, realization struck their minds like thunderbolts. A dream they long thought impossible had all at once become a reality. In this man before them, who shared the same pain as they did, they would have the means to free their country, and avenge not only their son, but all sons and daughters and husbands and wives who had fallen.

They stood up and were about to kneel to their new lord, but was instead stopped by an embrace from Gabriel himself. At first they were stunned by the act, but then soon realized the kindred spirit that he was as they returned the embrace and shared in their mutual understanding and grief for the lost.

After what had seemed like an eternity, Gabriel loosened his grip and backed away slightly as he gazed warmly upon the couple. He cradled their faces as if they were his children as he spoke softly and with warmth.

"Remember always to cherish one another, and draw upon one another, no matter what happens."

Gatoh and Relina held their hands together as they took a small bow of respect and of acknowledgement to their new benefactor. Even Ericah who had been silently watching everything up until this point could not help but let more than a few tears fall, much to her chagrin.

With a knowing nod, Gabriel turned around and was walking back to the entrance when Ericah spoke up once again.

"Planning on goin' ta war then?"

"Hm. More like a surgical strike to cut out a festering wound, than a war." Gabriel responds without turning around.

"Well, just be sure ta come back alive. You still owe me a healthy helping of some of your 'man's milk'.~" Ericah says in a flighty tone as she grins.

"Ugh. Phrasing. Remember?"

"Heh. Come back alive, and then maybe you can _MAKE_ me remember." Ericah says sarcastically as she sticks her tongue out.

Gabriel smiles with a "hmph!" as he walks out of the cell, and he closes it behind him. Waiting for him in the hall were the NPCs Walter and Tamura, who bowed upon seeing their master once again. Sensing a change within their lord, Tamura spoke up in a respectful tone.

"My lord? Is something the matter?"

"Yes. There is. Prepare a force of over one-hundred and fifty troops who are experts in stealth and recon. We have a monstrous bitch to depose."

With that order, a fire burned within Gabriel, fueled by anger, hate, and a desire to avenge the lost. All that is left, is to wonder if this new determination will be his new beginning, or his end.

* * *

 ***Review Replies*  
**

 **pta917-10/02/17** **: Yeah, it was a long read for sure. :P Still, glad you and others enjoyed the ride. Heck, even I was waiting for the part of the story where Gabriel FINALLY got back on his feet. Oh! I hope you enjoyed the awkward conversations. ;)**

 **UndeadLord22-10/02/17** **: Lewd moments never get old. So long as they are done in a way that works. Otherwise, I am just writing smut. :P I am beyond happy you enjoyed the chapter. This will help lead into a journey, never mind an arc. ;)**

 **knaka148-10/03/17** **: Anytime buddy! I'm always on the lookout for trying new and different things. I just have to make sure the pieces fit. Spoiler-type questions, but let's just say Gabriel has a few surprises in store. ^_^**

 **levelgap-9/15/17** **: LOL! You should expect the unexpected with me. Well, at least on my good days. :P Heh, let's just say that Gabriel continues to get "lucky" in more ways than one. ;) Uh, yeah. Provoking Gabriel is usually a good way to get hurt badly. Oh, that chapter count for this arc is fairly accurate, and I am trying my best to keep the chapter lengths reasonable. There's just so much ground to cover! O.o As for Bwynleah, you've probably figured out that she is not worth your pity. ;) Stay tuned for more! :D**

 **FumeKnight-10/03/17** **: I'm delighted that I managed to fill your enjoyment quota with my latest works. Mission accomplished! Responded to rest with PM! Too much to cover other than to say, all will be addressed. ;) Oh, I love to push the limits of what I can do with the ratings limitations. It brings out my creativity. :D**

 **Dominus-10/03/17** **: Yeah! Glad my work hooked you in. Hope it stays that way as I continue! Oh, gore will happen every now and then. And the thing with the MC is that he feels guilty over needless death, as you probably read in this chapter. Heh heh. He won't be porking every female he comes across (PUN NOT INTENDED!), but enough to ensure that there will be a few more scenes here and there in the future. ;)**

 **GoDie910-10/05/17** **: Responded via PM. Again, too much to cover, except all will be addressed. Spoilers will not happen here, other than the fact that some of your theories are disturbingly accurate. You sure you're not reading my thoughts? :P**

 **Guest0-10/10/17** **: LMAO! Wow! The puns are real! You funny! :P**

 **Totong-10/11/17:** **Holy shit! Thanks man! That is truly high praise indeed and I hope to live up to such sky-high expectations. And I am really glad you like the MC thus far! Making a story with a protagonist that no one likes would be a bit foolish to me. As for when Gabriel meets Ainz, the relationship will be complicated, but they won't be enemies per se. Can't say too much without spoiling it. Sorry! ^_^** **  
**

 **Fanboy 316-10/15/17** **: Thank you! I saw little point in creating an OC who couldn't hold his own when compared to others, and wanted to craft a story that was on the outset refreshing and different. Oh, and yes there are other NPCs. They will be introduced later. Hope everyone likes them! And don't worry! as long as there is life in these fingers of mine, I will keep it up. ;)**

 **Dominus1389-10/28/17** **: LOL! Don't worry. The show will continue. :)**


	7. Chapter 7-The Fight to Move Forward

**Chapter 7-The Fight to Move Forward**

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th Floor, Gabriel's Study**

It had been one hour since Gabriel had dismissed Walter and Tamura from his study, and preparations for the planned surgical strike against Bwynleah had begun. She who had ruled the Land of the Drake Riders with fear and no small measure of terror as her instruments, and if Gabriel had to be completely honest, he was looking forward to the impending fight.

An impulse, a desire he couldn't explain was driving him towards the fight with almost wild energies. It was almost akin to the expectation he felt when his teenaged self gave his virginity to his beloved Alisha. A lust for battle, combat, and blood he had never felt before was flooding his heart and mind like a tidal wave and he could barely contain it. Only the sudden tapping at the door to his study pulled him back to reality as he spoke.

"You may enter." He said as he took deep breaths to regain his control and focus.

A few seconds after he gave his response, the lvl-5 human nurse Addison-Rei stepped in and closed the door behind her with a bow of respect.

"My sincerest apologies for disturbing you my lord." She said in a low but steady voice.

"Nonsense Addison-Rei. I'm hardly busy at the moment, and you are always welcomed to an audience. Why do you think the guards let you pass so easily?" Gabriel said with a warm and kindly smile.

He hadn't forgotten the lengths that the nurse went through to help him in his time of need. Although the thought occurred to him that it might have just been her programming and settings at work during those moments, he still felt nothing but gratitude and warmth towards the girl. Thus he left orders that if she ever wanted to see him, and he was not indisposed, then she was free to do so.

The girl blushed a shade of pink before speaking again in a light, but official manner.

"I had hoped that you could spare a moment of your precious time my lord. So that I may speak with you."

"That's perfectly fine. In fact, I was hoping to speak with you as well. Please, have a seat over here." He says as he gestures towards a descent sized couch for three that was next the the conference table.

There was no hesitation as she walked over and took her seat on the couch. Gabriel sat next to her on her right as he looked upon her with a warm smile, which immediately had her blushing as soon as she saw it. Still, she kept her composure regardless and felt proud of herself that her efforts had a positive effect on her lord. Just as she was going to speak, Gabriel leaned forward in his seat, with his eyes front as he spoke first.

"I wanted to thank you, Addison-Rei. I... I was not in a good place when I had awakened. Although I cannot say I am all better right now, I will say that you helped a great deal in me regaining some semblance of stability. Thank you, Addison-Rei. I am in your debt."

As Gabriel turned to face her with a smile, the words of praise and thanks Addison-Rei was showered with very nearly made her burst into tears. She felt warmth spread from her chest, and all through her body as she looked down to her hands in her lap. After a moment she looked up to her master with a radiant smile of her own.

"Hmm? What is it? Know that you can speak freely when you are alone with me." He says to reassure the nurse.

"My Lord Gabriel, I am deeply moved by your words. It's beyond my clumsy ability to really express how it makes me feel, that my lord would waste such precious words on a lowly nurse like me. I would always give all that I am for you, and I am always at your service for whatever you desire.~" As she spoke with a smile, there was a small, subtle undercurrent of expectation in her flighty tone.

Gabriel looked upon her with a neutral facial expression as he thought to himself.

 _'What a headache. Should I be pleased that the NPCs are so loyal that they'd be so happy and willing to give of themselves so completely? Regardless, this might be a good time to have this talk before I head into battle.'_

Gabriel lets out a small sigh as he then leans back and speaks in a calm and kindly tone of voice.

"Addison-Rei, I thank you for such devotion. However, I feel that there are certain facts about me that you and the others need to understand."

The nurse sits up and takes on a serious expression as she focuses on her master's words intently.

"When you came to me, I was not completely in my right mind. Between the effects of my grief and the [Inhibitor Potion] I was given, I was hardly in a position to make any kind of sound judgments and decisions. Although it was precisely what I needed at the time, it seems it has given you the idea that as the master of this Keep, that I would use my authority over you and everyone else to indulge in my desires. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Addison-Rei had a look of surprise, but also of admiration as she continued to listen to her master.

"I am a man that firmly believes in and respects a sentient being's right to choose for themselves whom they spend their time with. That concept is called 'consent', and I have never once taken someone to my bed who did not want to be there in the first place. Coercion of any kind to infringe on that right is despicable. Your case is slightly different, in that you were created with high levels of loyalty and devotion to me to begin with."

 _'Yes, that is the truth. From I've seen as created beings, I have a hunch that they will have certain gaps in their judgment and common sense due to a lack of actual life experience.'_ Gabriel briefly thinks before continuing.

"The loyalty and devotion you feel towards me, could very well be considered as a type of coercion. As such, for the time being I want you to think long and hard to yourself as I pose this question: do you want to come to my bed because of your apparent loyalty and devotion, or is it something you truly desire for yourself? That is something you must be able to honestly answer before I'll even consider it. Be sure to pass that on to your fellow NPCs as well. For you see, I am not so base as to confuse compliance with enthusiasm."

As Gabriel finishes saying his peace, he looks down to Addison-Rei with a smile filled with warmth and kindness. The nurse herself looked up into his emerald green eyes. They seemed to shine in the light of the magic fixtures that illuminated the room and she found herself captivated. She felt warmth, admiration, and awe fill her being as she considered her master's words, and then leaned over to place her head on his chest.

Gabriel wrapped his arm around Addison-Rei's shoulder, and she could feel his warmth and compassion from his touch alone. She took deep breaths to take in his scent before she spoke in a voice filled with happiness and contentment.

"My deepest thanks my lord. I feel truly blessed to have such a gentle master."

Gabriel softly chuckles as he had to admit the moment also had left him feeling better than he had expected.

"You are very welcome, Addison-Rei. And don't worry about giving your answer just yet. Take all the time you need. Now then, is there anything else on your mind?"

"Well... I hope I am not overstepping my bounds my lord, but if you can spare just a few more moments, I could use your wisdom and advice in a recent event that has left me a little unsure of what to do."

Gabriel could feel her discomfort and hesitation as she said those words. He then had to admit that he was curious as he spoke.

"Don't worry. You are fine. Please, tell me what troubles you."

"Well, it's about my roommate and fellow nurse Mina. She... wants me to be her first." Addison-Rei blushes slightly while Gabriel perks an eyebrow.

She then proceeds to explain the conversation she had with Mina just before the drake riders had flooded the 8th floor infirmary. (Beginning of CH.6) As Addison-Rei told her story, Gabriel listened quietly with an unchanging expression as he thought to himself.

 _'Okay, now this is bizarre. What she is describing is very similar to what happened with my guild-mates, and their creators, Felix and Joseph. They were best friends throughout their high school years and military service. It was through their mutual military service that I actually befriended them. After they both joined the guild there was an incident where, out of the blue, Felix confessed romantic feelings to Joseph. He was pan-sexual and everyone knew it, but Joseph was not amused since he was in a serious relationship with a female staff member from his clinic...'_

Gabriel remembered that it was Felix who had created Mina, while he already knew that Joseph was partly responsible for Addison-Rei. He continued to mull over the subject as Addison-Rei herself recounted her experience.

 _'It caused a bit of drama for the both of them, and for me since I had to play mediator to ensure the drama didn't get any more awkward than it already had. That's one of the pitfalls of having guild-mates who knew each other outside the game. More importantly though, this shows that the NPCs are not only influenced by their original settings, but are also somehow influenced by the personalities of their creators. There are some notable differences though. From what she's describing, Mina's interest is not so much as romantic, as it's one of pure sexual attraction and trust. Oh, fer crying out loud. Magic is a pain in the ass. Almost makes me regret my fascination with it. Almost...'_

He is brought back from his musings as he noticed that the nurse next to him was just about done telling her story.

"... and after we had finished helping the last patient we rested a bit and I came here to speak with you, my lord. I am unsure of what to do. Can you help me?" She had looked up with pleading eyes as she asked Gabriel that question.

For his part, Gabriel had a soft smile as he gently stroked and caressed the nurse's soft, white hair. That was more than enough to put her at ease as she smiles comfortably and happily.

"That's not a problem dear girl. I can understand your uncertainty here and I'm sure I can help you in this. But first you must ask yourself some very important questions. To begin with, what does Mina mean to you personally?"

"To me? She's a dear friend. She's a bit of a timid crybaby most of the time, but she's a good person and an excellent nurse. I trust her with everything I have from my clothes, my thoughts, and to my life."

 _'I thought so. That confirms my suspicions.'_ Gabriel mulls to himself.

"I see. Now then, the second question is, how did her confession of wanting you as her 'first' make you feel?"

"I... I felt confused, shocked, but also proud she spoke up and voiced her thoughts and feelings. She's always had a problem with that. I also felt kind of flattered and honored. I always thought that she just considered me as a friend and comrade. I never thought that she could have thought more than that."

"Hmm. Very good. Now then, as for the request itself, what are your honest feelings and views? Do you feel any sort of attraction to her as well? I can imagine you were considering granting her request as a way to not hurt her feelings or your friendship."

The nurse widened her eyes in shock for a brief moment, but then smiled as she closed her eyes and sighed in resignation before answering.

"As expected of Lord Gabriel. Yes, you are right. I did consider her request so I wouldn't hurt her feelings, even though I personally didn't want to go that far. But after speaking with you my lord, I now know that was the wrong type of thinking..."

 _'I see. So the NPCs can also learn, grow, and evolve. Good to know.'_ Gabriel mused as he remained silent and let Addison-Rei do the talking.

"... If I'm being completely honest with myself, I don't really feel that same level of attraction to her as I do with you my lord. I mean, she is cute, and she has very fair skin and all. I guess if I had to share my bed with another woman, then I wouldn't mind it being her. She does have my trust and respect after all." She says as she taps her right index finger on her chin in contemplation.

"Trust and respect are always great foundations in any relationship, so that is a good starting point. Heh. That actually reminds me of how Jon and Julia became intimate."

"Lord Jon and Lady Julia were a couple?" Addison said with a gasp.

Gabriel then briefly chuckles before speaking.

"Perhaps 'couple' is too strong a word to use in their case. They indulged in each other on a purely sexual level, with little to no romance involved. However, they were still good friends and comrades who respected and trusted one another. If you need some way to describe their relationship, then calling them, 'friends with benefits' would be more apt in their case."

"Ooooooh.~" Addison-Rei said as her facial expression was filled with both awe and understanding, at which Gabriel could only smile, thinking that it was cute.

"I trust that answers your question?"

The lvl-5 human nurse Addison-Rei then jumps up and takes a bow to her master before energetically responding.

"Yes, my lord! Thank you very much for speaking to me. It's helped a great deal.~"

"Heh. You're welcome. Now then, be sure to rest up, since you so nobly ignored the time off you were given." Gabriel says with a smirk.

"Oh! Um, I... well. That is, I just wanted to be of use and help people in need, and since I was 'given' the time off I figured it would be alright."

"That's fine Addison-Rei. No harm done. Although, if there is a next time, you would do well to run it by the Head Doctor first. Now then, go ahead and use that time off to rest up. You never know when things might get busy again."

"Yes, my lord.~" With that last acknowledgement, she gracefully took a bow and exited Gabriel's study.

He takes a moment to enjoy the warm atmosphere and her sweet scent as he breathes in a relaxed fashion. After a few moments his breathing becomes more measured and his smile slowly fades, and his expression is replaced with a focused determination. He stands up and walks to the head of the conference table, and then in a flash of blue light Tamura appears, and takes a bow of respect to her master before speaking.

"My Lord Gabriel, all preparations have been completed. We can deploy at a moment's notice." Tamura said in a soft but stern tone of voice.

"Very well. Let's move out." Gabriel replied as they both then disappear in flashes of blue light.

* * *

 **Land of the Drake Riders, Rurah Palace Front Gates**

Night had fallen upon the Land of the Drake Riders as a cool breeze whistled in the air. For the most part, the surrounding areas were pitch black, with the exception of the city below the palace. The city lit up the horizon with a combination of magical light sources, as well as the fires of torches and candles.

At the palace itself, two guards in grey and brown medium armor, and armed with swords and shields, stood next to the front gates with boredom and fatigue clear on their faces. They yawned and stretched in an almost carefree manner as they struck up a friendly conversation.

"Oi, thank the dragons that our shift is almost over. It's been a really long day." The guard on the right commented, as the one on the left rotated his neck as he replied.

"Aye, true. By the way, how's that pretty wife of yours? You've been married for what? Six months?"

"Five months, and I couldn't be happier.~"

"Heh. So, what's it like? Doing it with an elven lady?" He said with a grin.

"He he. It's wonderful. I say it's the best I've ever..." The guard's expression turns serious as he halts mid-sentence.

His comrade was going to ask what was wrong when he too went on alert and then spoke up in a low voice.

"Oi, I don't hear anything."

"Yeah, me neither. It's a bit too quiet. That ain't normal. We should be hearin' the wing flapping of the palace's aerial patrols."

The two guards were now on edge as the only sounds that they could hear was the cool wind in the air, and the ambient noises of the city below. After a few moments pass the guard on the left speaks up.

"I don't like this. We should call for... for..." Before the guard could finish his sentence his eyes glazed over and he slumps down, falling unconscious.

His comrade followed suit before any kind of alarm could be raised. For a few minutes all was quiet, and then footsteps could be heard as a figure stepped out from the shadows. It was Gabriel that emerged with a stern and focused demeanor. He wore the same emerald attire as before, but with grey light armor under his long coat instead of the previous white button-up shirt, and with his sword on his back.

As he looked down upon the guards, he snapped his fingers and then an unseen force hurriedly carries them off and disappears. Tamura suddenly appears behind Gabriel and to his right as she takes a bow. As he glares at the front gates he speaks to her in stern and official tones reminiscent of a general commanding his troops.

"Tamura, status report."

"Yes, my lord. All of the security within the vicinity has been quietly immobilized and detained as per your orders. Given their low levels, the sleep spells should keep them all unconscious for the next four hours or so.~" She said with a smile.

"Very good. Now then, did the recon teams manage to find anything suspicious?"

"Yes, my lord. As you had suspected, they found numerous magical devices that were endowed with magic of the 6th-tier. Had the magic within been invoked, they would've caused massive explosions that would've toppled the surrounding mountains and the resulting rock slides could have easily destroyed the city below us." Tamura finished her report with both serious and grim tones in her voice.

Gabriel grit his teeth ever so slightly as his sight continued facing front, still glaring at the palace gates. After a moment, Tamura then spoke up in a voice filled with both curiosity and awe.

"My lord, if I may ask, how did you surmise that this 'Bwynleah' had laid traps of this nature?~ None of the prisoners knew of such a thing."

Gabriel lets out a deep sigh before responding.

"The reports of her rise to power and the nature of her rule were all I needed to make an accurate guess as to her mentality, Tamura. I've seen it before. If she were to go down, she would take as many with her as possible, with the resulting chaos leaving this country vulnerable to attack. It is the ultimate act of spite. If she couldn't have it, then no one else could. Not even her own citizens."

Gabriel's voice was tinged with disgust and anger as he gave his reply. Tamura herself found the concept to be quite repugnant as she herself grimaced in anger. Just as she was mulling over her master's reply he again spoke.

"Have all of Bwynleah's acolytes been found and detained?"

"Yes, my lord. Thanks to the information taken from Ohrly'ress, we were able to find them quite easily. However, if the information gathered is accurate, the magical bands on their foreheads are controlling them like puppets, and if they are forcefully removed they would die. Should Bwynleah die the result would be the same. However, it may be possible to save them using the spell, [Greater Break Item]."

"There's no need for that." Gabriel says with regret and sadness in his voice as he looks down at the ground with eyes filled with remorse and pity.

"L-Lord Gabriel?!" Tamura stammers in disbelief and confusion at her master's words.

Gabriel sighs tiredly as he responds.

"Tamura, according to the information gathered, the items control their actions like they're living puppets, but at the same time they remain conscious and aware of what their bodies are doing. Thus, for the last two years they all have been prisoners within their own bodies. They've witnessed all the horrors that they have helped Bwynleah to perpetuate. I trust I don't need to remind you of what she did with all those children?"

Tamura fell silent in pity and grief as she then began to grasp the implications.

"They were forced to carry out those acts alongside her. Even if we did free them, the psychological and emotional trauma that they have suffered would've left them scarred for life. I have no doubt that most of them would become suicidal upon being freed and those that don't would no longer be able to lead normal lives. It may seem heartless at first, but the fact is that in this case letting them die would be a mercy."

After Gabriel had finished his explanation, Tamura could only bite her lower lip as a few tears fell from her eyes. It was yet another tragedy that they couldn't correct. What's worse is that even with her death, more people would be lost. She looked up to see her master gazing at the palace gates with a firm determination and resolve.

She was in awe of her master's fortitude to see things through regardless, and then she understood that even if they couldn't be saved, they could still be avenged, and further tragedies prevented. She wipes her tears away and with a firm voice speaks.

"I understand my lord. I am ready to follow your lead."

Gabriel's sight looks to her for a moment, and then looks back at the palace gates before speaking.

"Tamura, you and the rest of our forces in hiding will remain out here to watch over and protect the people below. I will deal with Bwynleah on my own."

Tamura was immediately struck with uncertainty over her master's order. She wanted to accompany and protect her master as a guardian, as the vice-commander of the NPC guardians, and as the creation of his beloved. Although hesitant, she resolved to speak up to voice her concerns.

"I beg your pardon my lord, but would it not be a wiser to have me accompany you in this battle?~ After all, we know nothing of this Bwynleah's abilities, and if I might be so bold, we left in such a hurry that we weren't given the time to find more suitable battle gear for you in the treasury."

Gabriel keeps his attention focused on the palace gates as he replies.

"I know what you are trying to say Tamura, but the very existence of this vile filth has earned my personal attention and wrath. No one shall interfere. I will face her alone. Only my shadow demon will accompany me as a means of gathering information. Am I understood?"

Tamura could detect a tinge of hostility and anger in her master's voice as he spoke, but still felt uneasy about letting him go alone. She lets out a sigh as she speaks with a bow.

"I understand my lord. We shall not interfere."

Gabriel doesn't even speak as he steps forward to the palace gates. He places his right hand on the thick stone construction, feeling the smooth, tough surface. He stops on one particular area on the massive doors and marks it with a streak of his own blood.

He spreads his feet apart in a position reminiscent of a martial arts stance and pulls back his right fist, with his left hand hovering over it with its fingers extended straight. Then his breathing becomes more measured and regulated as he closes his eyes. His muscles tense so heavily that bones and cartilage could be heard cracking under the pressure.

After about twelve seconds of this, Gabriel's eyes suddenly shoot open with an intense focus, and he speaks in a low growl.

"Knock, knock."

With blinding speed he lets loose his right fist into the palace gates.

*CRASH!*

With a single punch, the gates break open down the middle as the dust and debris flows into the large hall that they see before them. Gabriel's posture relaxes as he stands up straight, ready to enter. He takes three steps forward before he stops once more, and speaks to Tamura in a low tone with his back still facing her.

"Tamura, I can understand your concern and worry for me, and I do greatly appreciate it, but keep in mind two things. First, when you lie to someone, make sure that they are unable to pick up on it."

Tamura could feel her heart skip a beat as he uttered those words. Her body trembled as she realized her mistake and fell to her knees, with her head low prostration.

"M-My sincerest apologies my lord! I beg your forgiveness for my offense! It is only my wish to fulfill my duty as one of your guardians and protect you!" She frantically says as her voice begins to crack.

"It is fine Tamura. Since I understand your feelings, you are forgiven. Now stand up." Gabriel says calmly.

Tamura was wide-eyed as she heard her master's words, but to keep from causing any other kind of offense she obeys and returns to her feet.

"Secondly, be aware that since I have taken this creature's actions as a personal offense to my honor, I will forgive NO ONE who interferes with this fight." Gabriel says as he looks over his shoulder and glares at Tamura with bloodshot eyes.

Once again, Tamura trembles in place as her eyes met her master's. She had no illusions as to the sincerity of his words as she bowed and spoke with her voice holding firm.

"Understood my lord. No one will interfere." She said solemnly.

Gabriel's eyes return to a bright and healthy white and emerald green as his expression softens and relaxes. He turns his attention back to the long hall before him as he slowly walks forward. As he does so he hears Tamura call out to him.

"Good hunting my lord!~"

He replies by way of lifting his right hand up for a few seconds before it goes back to his side. He surveys his surroundings and clearly sees it was a massive hall that could fit an adult dragon's size with easily 10 meters to spare in any direction. It had at least a dozen support columns that lined the hall on both sides, with each column having one magic lantern casting yellow colored [Continual Light] magic.

As Gabriel looked down at the floor, it resembled polished obsidian that gave one a dull reflection. His footsteps echoed well in the hall as he saw another set of massive double doors at the end. As he walked slowly he sank into a deep introspection.

 _'I'm a fucking idiot. I know all too well what Tamura was trying to say. I'm going in blind against an enemy who's abilities I know nothing about. I can count at least two and a half dozen better ways to go about this, but something I can't explain is driving me forward like this. I can feel it in my chest. I am VERY angry. I can feel hate, anger, rage, and something else I can't describe. Is this my way paying penance for earlier? This is my sense of guilt pushing me on? Am I doing this as a way to shoulder responsibility for everything? Damn it all! What's going on with me?!'_

Unbeknownst to Gabriel, the answers to his questions were within himself as a voice, buried within the depths of his subconscious speaks.

 _/"You are partially correct, young Gabriel. I am simply taking all those feelings of yours, and amplifying them even further to agitate you. Of course you could win against that vile creature with any other means, but that wouldn't help your growth. If you ever hope to unlock the powers that lay dormant within you, without another 'berserker' incident, then you need this fight. We shall see how it turns out. Perhaps after this you'll finally be able to hear my voice..."/_

Just as the voice within Gabriel's subconscious fades, his walk comes to an end as he stands in front of the last set of double doors. As before he places his right hand on it as if to inspect it, but then it suddenly and slowly opens for him. He narrows his green eyes slightly as he witnesses this.

 _'An invitation then? Well, I wasn't exactly subtle when I broke down the front door.'_

Gabriel then accepts the gesture as he calmly walks into the throne room. As he does so he notices a pair of iron golems on either side handling the doors. When he clears the threshold they exit the throne room, closing the massive double doors behind them.

The doors close with a great *SLAM!* that echos throughout the large room. Gabriel takes a moment to survey his surroundings. The throne room itself was massive in scope, with a circular design that was 30 meters (98ft 5in) in diameter with a ceiling that was 20 meters (65ft 7in) in height.

In the center was a massive throne of marble, gold, silver, and platinum that was about 5 meters (16 ½ft) in height and 3 meters (9ft 10in) in width.

"Hmm? Is that...?" Gabriel says as he narrows his eyes.

Sitting casually upon the throne, with legs crossed and arms folded was the queen herself, Bwynleah Veinun. As he gazed upon her he gave no hint of surprise or shock at the form that was described so accurately in his reports. However, her attire was a bit different from what had been described.

She wore armor that was almost contoured to her body's shape, and was grey and dark purple in color. The light armor set had a bright sheen to it that made it apparent that is was enchanted. Next to her floated a double-bladed grey scepter that glowed with an ominous black and purple aura, and was 6 feet (1.83m) in length. The gear gave Gabriel the impression that he was dealing with a combat-type magic caster.

There was something else he noticed. An aroma that filled the air of the throne room. He took just a few sniffs at the air, and the smell reminded him of tombstones, glaciers, snow, ash, and surprisingly enough, flowers and roses. The combination of aromas was both pleasant and unpleasant, but easily ignored as he saw that Bwynleah was studying him.

As she looked upon Gabriel, her face contorted into a smile. Most people would have trouble reading the facial expressions of a non-humanoid. Gabriel however had some experience with that, thanks to his godmother, Regina, and her brother and his friend Jon, which allowed him to a certain extent, read non-human expressions.

From what he could gather, she was pleasantly surprised by not only his arrival, but his looks and strength. Her grin was perverse in nature, and her tail bounced energetically. As she licked her teeth, it became apparent that her interest in him was quite sexual in nature. Gabriel was not amused in the slightest as he remembered her treatment of the men in her country.

Behind her in an alcove, restrained in black chains, and contained inside a blue and black colored barrier was the dragon and former king, Rahkar Ailouros. Gabriel spared a few moments to size him up, and he felt nothing but pity and sympathy for the dragon.

The dragon's eyes were blank, empty, and hollow. Those were the eyes of one who's will had been almost completely broken and had given up. His anger flared when he realized the implications behind the dragon's state, but he held himself back as he then heard the "queen" speak with her dual voice.

"I welcome you stranger, to Rurah Palace. Tell me, what brings you here?~" She said in a friendly and sarcastic tone of voice.

Gabriel grimaced for a moment, as he resolved to control himself and study his soon to be opponent.

 _'Even if she doesn't know the specifics of who I am, she knows damn well why I am here. It's a deliberate provocation tactic. Although it's textbook, it shows she knows what she is doing. There's something else. She's supremely confident in herself. It almost borders on arrogance. She's got quite the ego too, and I can tell she loves to talk. I can use that.'_

"My name is Gabriel Erin Dracon, and I presume that you are Bwynleah Veinun?"

"Oh, my.~ He he he. I seem to have become well known, even in this isolated country. So tell me, Gabriel, is it? What brings you to my humble palace?~"

Gabriel keeps his eyes locked onto Bwynleah with an unwavering gaze as he reaches into his coat pocket, and then casually throws a drake shaped adamantite badge to her. She effortlessly catches it and only looks upon it for a moment before she chuckles to herself and tosses it to the side.

"I see.~ I guess that can't be helped.~ I am surprised though. After those little darlings failed in their mission, I was expecting more than a personal visit.~"

"Hmph. Sorry to disappoint you, but most intelligent beings would not blame an entire country for the actions of one idiot."

Not a moment after Gabriel finished his sentence, Bwynleah's right eye twitched, her smile fades, and her overall expression turns serious as she silently glares at him.

As they stare each other down, the dragon Rahkar watches the proceedings from the back in his alcove. Outwardly he seemed apathetic, but inwardly he was curious.

 _'What is this human? I could sense him outside the throne room doors, even through this barrier. His strength and power... almost feels dragonic in nature. Is he a dragonkin? Even if that is the case, I can't see him winning. Not when she has "that" at her disposal.'_

Just as Rahkar was finishing his inner musings Bwynleah speaks up with a light chuckle.

"He he he. My... aren't you interesting.~ Still, if you are so intelligent my dear, then was it really necessary to kill all of them?~"

Gabriel tightened his right fist at that provocation, and Bwynleah did not fail to notice as she continued.

"Oh, yes. I know they were all killed. *sniffs* Oh? What's this now? It is faint, but I can smell the blood of many on you. Hm.~ Such an aroma.~ I do wonder pretty thing; how many have fallen by your hands? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands perhaps?"

Bwynleah had a smug grin as she noticed her words had an effect on Gabriel, who then started to twitch slightly, and though his mouth was closed, one could tell he gritted his teeth if they were observant.

 _/"Hm. Perhaps I destabilized Gabriel's emotions a bit too much. Her taunts are actually getting to him. It's too late for me to interfere now. I can only influence him when he's in a calm or neutral state. If this keeps up he'll make a stupid mistake..."/_

As the inner voice fades, Gabriel draws the sword on his back, and its sheath fades as he pulls it out. Bwynleah seemed to be on guard as she marveled at his sword. It measured about 60 inches (152.4 cm) from blade tip to pointed pommel. It had a katana shaped blade design with a fine pointed tip and a blade length comparable to a broadsword. It was silver in color, and had a vertical dragon's head as it's guard with the blade jutting from its mouth. It was Gabriel's Divine Class sword, [Krysseatheum].

When Gabriel forcefully brings it down on the polished obsidian floor, the air pressure from the sword motion alone left a deep cut on the surface. Gabriel glared at his target with an unfiltered desire to kill.

 _'This filth DARES to compare me to her?! I don't know why, but I'm at my limit of control. Once I find an opening to attack, I'll detach my shadow demon so it can hide, and get a reading on her overall strength level. That is, if the initial strike doesn't kill her first!'_

Bwynleah stands up from her throne during Gabriel's inner musings and smiles as if she was proud of herself. She lifts up her right hand and her floating scepter flies to it. In a voice that was supposed to be sultry she speaks.

"I am not completely unreasonable.~ I happen to appreciate fine men such as yourself. There might be a place for you as my love slave, though I doubt you'll be able to rival the performance of my sweet Rahkar in the back.~"

*BRA-KOOM!*

Gabriel then suddenly shoots forward with a force that cracks and destroys the floor beneath his feet. Filled with overwhelming disgust and rage he lost himself in the moment. As he came upon Bwynleah, he leaped up and forward, and used both hands to bring his sword down on her.

*CLANG!*BOOM!*

The deafening sound of metal colliding with metal resounds through the throne room, while the throne itself was heavily damaged from the force of Gabriel's sword strike alone. However, having successfully blocked Gabriel's attack with her scepter, Bwynleah was standing firm with both hands holding onto it. She had a wide grin, with her tail was wagging forcefully from side to side.

"Oh, my!~ My oh my oh MY!~ You are truly BEYOND my expectations! I can't decide if I want to keep you or eat you!~" Bwynleah said in joy and adulation.

Gabriel stood firm even though Bwynleah's strength was far above any of his or his NPCs estimates. Just as he was about to act once again, his opponent made her move.

[Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lightning]!

Having regained his composure, Gabriel kicks off Bwynleah, but was a fraction of a second too slow as the spell engulfs him, and blasts him back to his original position with a loud *CRASH!*.

After a few seconds, Gabriel stands back up and with a single sword swipe clears the dust that had been kicked up in his area. His green long coat and pants were singed black from the attack, as sparks continued to pulse outward from his body.

"Well now!~ I must say you continue to impress me.~"

Gabriel ignores her comment as he glares at her and considers the situation before him.

 _'Unless I missed something, that was an 7th-tier lightning spell that she just shoved into my face. If it wasn't for one of my rings that gave me enhanced lightning resistance, I'd have taken severe damage, and most likely been unable to move well. Damn it! I lost my cool again and very nearly paid for it. At least I was able to detach Tamura's shadow demon as planned. While I wait for it to do its job, I better use some items.'_

Just as he lifted his left arm to access his inventory's pocket dimension, Bwynleah slams the tip of her weapon into the floor.

"Oh, no my pretty. I can't have you leaving me just yet.~"

[Dimensional Lock]!

A wave of black energy briefly sweeps over the throne room before it fades as quickly as it was released. For a brief moment Gabriel was taken aback as he stared at his still smiling enemy.

 _'She is just full of surprises. That's another YGGDRASIL spell. Normally, it can only be used by the highest ranking angels or devils, but that was in a game, and this is no game. Still, the fact she and the dragons she sent could use spells from YGGDRASIL confirms a hunch I had: I'm possibly not the first or even the only player to have been brought here before. Something for later. First things first, while the blood magic in my veins will accelerate my healing, having a few more items at the ready can't hur...'_

Gabriel's train of thought is derailed as he then notices that his extended left arm is not accessing his inventory. His left eye twitches as he looks upon his enemy, who still had a wide smile on her face.

"My dear, did you think you can punch in my front door and leave just like that? Tsk tsk. You'll be staying for the duration, and since you have done a splendid job impressing me, you'll have a place right next to my sweet Rahkar. Hear that my love?~ You'll have some company soooon!~"

While Bwynleah was rambling, it gave Gabriel time to silently assess his new dilemma.

 _'I wasn't trying to leave, I was trying to access my inventory. From what I gathered, the inventory is like my own personal pocket dimension with near limitless space. So, in this new world, the spell [Dimensional Lock] does more than just keep you from teleporting. It also keeps you from accessing your inventory. I'll make a mental note of that, but for now though...'_

His thoughts were interrupted by a mental communication from his shadow demon as it relayed new information on his opponent. Gabriel's eyes widened for a split second before he composed himself once again. It was clear the new information he had received was significant.

 _'I knew she was strong judging from our exchange, but this just confirms it. Level-90. That's just great. Can anything else can go wrong?'_

In the instant Gabriel had ceased his inner musings, Bwynleah had raised her left arm towards a support pillar. An open palm shined with glowing purple, rotating magic circles as she chanted another spell.

[Light of Darkness]

In that instant, another, larger magic circle appeared in her hand, and a pillar of black energy, darker than the night sky, with a glowing purple aura shot out from it. When it did, it pulverized the piller into pebbles and shook the ground beneath them. While the spell was indeed powerful, that was not what concerned Gabriel as Bwynleah turned to face him again.

"I'm sorry.~ Was that creature a pet of yours?~ You continue to impress me, Gabriel.~ To think you'd have some interesting pets at your disposal, but as you can see it'll take more than that to fool my senses. He he."

"Tsk!" Gabriel clicked his tongue in annoyance before readying himself.

"You still want to fight? Very well. I'll humor you. I'll give you fair warning. You can't defeat me. You can't even kill me, as I am immortal. But I'll enjoy watching you fail."

"Hmph. Whatever."

The second he finished his comment, Gabriel charged forward once again. His opponent readied herself, but then he suddenly changed course by kicking the floor to move in a 40 degree angle to her right. Although she seemed able to follow his exceedingly fast movements, the action surprised her and was unable to block as Gabriel executed a horizontal slash that connected to her waist.

Sparks filled the air as the slash connected with her armor, but to Gabriel's amazement there was no damage to her. He hid his surprise with a focused, stoic, and determined expression as he continued his offensive.

Bwynleah's expression was one of annoyance as she regained her footing balance and composure.

[Maximi...]

Gabriel wasted no time in closing the distance to prevent spell casting as she blocked his attack. Sparks of orange flew as he then turned his sword and ran the blade across the surface of her scepter to cut at her left hand holding it. Though the attack did cut her fingers, drawing black colored blood, it did not slice off her fingers as intended.

Cocking his right eyebrow in curiosity, Gabriel deliberately lowers his guard for a split second. Bwynleah doesn't fail to notice it as she spins her bladed scepter around to deliver her own horizontal slash across Gabriel's chest. It knocks him away by 2 meters (6ft 7in), but he stops himself by ramming the fingers of his left hand into the ground to act as an anchor, with the strength of his grip nearly digging a small hole.

He takes a brief moment to inspect his chest area. Although the magically enchanted long coat he wore was torn asunder, all his chest piece had was a black streak from the blow. During this exchange, the inner voice within him spoke.

 _/"Damn it, Gabriel. That's a bad habit you have. Using your own body to test the enemy's strength and attack power. It's a trick you used all the time in YGGDRASIL and sometimes even in your own world. It'll get you into trouble one of these days. That's if this creature doesn't kill you first..."/_

The voice fades once more as Gabriel watches Bwynleah casually stretch her neck as if she had nothing to worry about. Still, she kept her eyes locked onto him, showing that she was not completely off-guard.

 _'She's strong in melee combat, but not enough for me to worry about. True to form, she's most dangerous as a magic caster. Got to keep her off balance and prevent her from using anymore spells.'_

As Gabriel finishes his thoughts, his opponent speaks in a flighty tone.

"My now!~ Aren't you the tricky, energetic one?~ Still, perhaps some punishment is in order."

 _'Ugh. She loves to hear herself talk. Speaking to an enemy in the middle of a fight is just idiotic. In this regard, she's a living, breathing, anime villain cliche...'_

"Hmm? Still not talking to me? How rude.~ Well, I'll have you make other types of sounds soon enough."

The instant she finishes that sentence her mouth opens, and a black mass and a blast of cold air shoots out of it. Its speed was impressive as Gabriel barely managed to dodge to his right to avoid it. In the corner of his eye he sees what looked like black and purple colored ice freezing the ground along its path as it collides with a pillar behind him.

He then leaps back an additional 3 meters (9ft 10in) to put some distance between them and to the side to distance himself from the cold he felt. As he processes what just happened, he fakes a shocked reaction to encourage Bwynleah to monologue again to buy himself time. She takes the bait.

"Do you like it, handsome?~ It is one of my specialties called, [Void Ice]. It instantly freezes everything it touches. Best of all, it never melts unless I wish it to. Maybe you would like to reconsider this fight now?" She says in a smug manner.

Taking advantage of her arrogance and lax attitude Gabriel considers the information she volunteered.

 _'The wave of cold air I felt... she wasn't bluffing. The instant she launched that attack the entire throne room felt about -100ºF (-73.3ºC) colder. God only knows what a direct hit will feel like. If it wasn't for one of my rings that gave me enhanced cold resistance, I'd be shivering my ass off...'_

The instant he finished thinking, Bwynleah herself decided to go on the offensive as she shot forward with impressive speed of her own. She thrusts the point of her scepter towards Gabriel face but it missed the mark as he slightly moves his head to his right. She then continues a series of thrusting motions in an attempt to land a hit on him.

During this change, Gabriel deftly dodged and parried each strike that would have skewered any lesser man. Just as he was about to counterattack, Bwynleah switched to vertical and horizontal slashes that made it seem she was dancing as she twirled the bladed scepter. It made it apparent that she was skilled in melee combat, but Gabriel's skill far outclassed hers.

Just as she was trying to deliver another horizontal slash, Gabriel countered with a vertical slash of his own that knocked her weapon's momentum off and above her head. Having created an opening, he spins forward to deliver a horizontal slash across her abdomen due to their height difference.

Again it resulted in a shower of orange sparks, but no damage was evident from his strike. He narrowed his eyes as he rolled to the side to avoid another strike. Gabriel then delivers a spin kick to the back of her left knee to destabilize her balance, but it seemed to have no effect. Instead, Bwynleah releases her left hand's grip and points a finger straight at his forehead.

[Lightning]!

The straight bolt of lightning misses its mark as Gabriel bends his head to the left and delivers a vertical slash to her arm. Again, a shower of orange sparks with no damage. He then jumps back to put some distance between them. His breathing was measured and calm as he looked upon his opponent who seemed to be enjoying herself.

 _'What is going on? None of my attacks are doing any significant damage. My physical strength should be on par if not greater than hers, and the weapon I'm using is among the top 20 deadliest Divine Class types in YGGDRASIL. Every time I strike, it feels like I'm hitting a wall. Something's off here. Time to do a test.'_

Just as Gabriel concluded his thoughts, he leaps forward and swings his sword down.

*CRASH!*CRASH!*SLASH!*

Bwynleah stared at Gabriel completely perplexed as he demolished her throne, and tilted her head in confusion as he continued to slash at it until it was a pile of trash.

"Um, what is it that you are doing?~ Are you perhaps feeling frustrated?~"

Gabriel kept his eyes on her, and ignored her comments as he sank into thought.

 _'Alright. I cut through the metals on her throne with no difficulty, and as expected her lax attitude allowed me a moment to test this. Even assuming that her armor is enchanted, I already experienced with my own body fighting something enchanted in the training room. This is something different. Well, just staring at her will get me nowhere...'_

Once again, Gabriel charged at his opponent, but this time she fired off another blast of her [Void Ice] to intercept him. He pivots and twists his right foot to sidestep to his left to avoid the attack and then immediately rushes forward again. The instant he closed the distance he launched multiple barrages of his own thrusts and slashes.

Bwynleah demonstrated an aptitude for blocking and dodging herself, although she was not nearly as proficient as Gabriel. For every hit she dodged or blocked, he scored a hit on her armor. A blinding light of orange sparks filled the throne room as his relentless attacks kept her on the defensive. Then the sea of sparks stopped as they both locked weapons with each other.

Gabriel pushed her back, and it became apparent that in terms of raw physical strength he had the edge. As he kept her weapon occupied, his left hand went from his sword handle to her left wrist. He latched on with a powerful and immovable grip that could crush stone. After three seconds of this he noticed Bwynleah, for the first time, showing signs of concern and even the beginnings of panic.

"UNHAND ME!" She yelled.

Her mouth started to bulge, signaling to Gabriel the attack that was coming as he then ducked and slid behind her. He managed to avoid a point blank blast of that black ice that continued to drop the temperature of the room with each use. He slashed at her back, which again resulted in orange sparks, but again no significant damage.

Despite this she leaped into the air.

[Fly]!

The spell activated and she hovered 10 meters (32ft 10in) in the air. She turned to look at Gabriel, and although she seemed the picture of calm, he could tell that she was slightly unnerved by their recent exchange.

 _'That's odd. I outclass her in close range combat, but until I actually grabbed her she didn't seem to care. When I had her wrist I felt something. It was faint. If it wasn't for the fact I wasn't wearing gloves I might have missed it. It was a tingling on my skin, like I passed through something. It then faded after about two and a half seconds. Is that why she took to the air? Thanks, you monstrous bitch. I now have a useful hint.'_

While in the air, Bwynleah was composed and smirked as she spoke.

"Tell me something, handsome Gabriel; why is it that you fight me? I can tell with your strength, those little darlings I sent could have done no real harm to you. So why are you risking death, and/or enslavement at the hands of an immortal?~"

Gabriel grit his teeth and glared at her. The grip on his sword tightened to the point that the cracking of bones could clearly be heard. What neither Gabriel nor Bwynleah realized was that his anger and rage from before had not disappeared from his mind and heart.

Rather, he was able to focus and harness it towards a specific target. Without that outlet, his destabilized emotions had no target for release, and it made him vulnerable to her taunts. His mistake was not realizing this sooner, and his agitated state made him roar with a disgusted voice filled with venom and hate.

"You... piece OF SHIT! YOU DARE ASK WHY?! AFTER ALL YOU'VE DONE TO THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY?!"

"Hoh.~ So you know about that? How interesting. And... what of it? Is it not natural for the powerful to take what they want? As a powerful being yourself, a little rape and murder shouldn't really bother you.~" Bwynleah said in a playful and flighty tone as she smiles perversely.

Just then the air became heavy as the floor beneath Gabriel's feet cracked and broke under the pressure he exerted upon it. Heat started to escape his body as it began to glow with a green aura. Images of Relina and Gatoh flashed in his mind, and then the images of Alisha overlaps with that as he remembers the pain they had suffered, and that he suffered. With his sword still in his right hand, he takes a sword swipe position.

"DON'T COMPARE ME... TO THE LIKES OF YOU... YOU... FILTH!"

Gabriel takes a sword swipe at the air, and then his right arm suddenly bursts into an emerald colored flame that shoots towards Bwynleah. Being taken by complete surprise she is barely able to dodge the blast of emerald heat that passes her and destroys a portion of the ceiling. Meanwhile, Gabriel drops his sword and cradles his right arm with his left as he screams in agony.

"AAAARRGG! HAAAAAAAA! AAAAAAAAAH!"

Bwynleah watches the scene in both puzzlement and amusement as she tilts her head.

Gabriel's mind was now a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions as he kneeled in pain and watched as the emerald flames coming from his arm died down.

 _'JESUS CHRIST! Those were [Emerald Flames]?! It felt like I was being stabbed from the inside out with thousands of red-hot needles! 'The hell is going on?!'_

Before he could regain his bearings, a purple magic circle forms under him, and just as he noticed it a spell activates.

[Blizzard of Agony]

The instant Bwynleah chanted that spell, a black blizzard with a purple aura formed around Gabriel. Within this blizzard, dozens of black blades formed and randomly tore into his flesh. Sprays of crimson flowed in every direction as his screams of pain echoed throughout the throne room, along with Bwynleah's laughs.

The dragon Rahkar had been watching the entire fight thus far, and at some moments he felt a modicum of hope seep into him as he saw Gabriel match, and at times, exceed Bwynleah in combat. Even more so when he saw the green flames erupt from his arm. Now however, he closed his eyes and rested himself as Gabriel's screams echoed.

 _'It's over. I was a fool to even think he could win. Especially when his power smelled of dragonic nature. Hmm. Hopefully that witch will spare and collar him like she said. She doesn't need his strength added to her own.'_

A few moments later, Gabriel's shouts stopped as the spell faded. As the magic cleared one could see the state he was in. The skin of his arms, legs, and torso were covered with numerous cuts and lacerations as his complexion was dyed scarlet, and was on his knees with both his arms by his sides. The magic amulet he wore slowly slid off his blood soaked body as his head hung low with his long, blonde hair covering his eyes.

Bwynleah floats down to his position and releases her scepter which floats in place. As she looks down upon him with a satisfied smile she speaks.

"I told you I would have you make other types of sounds. Don't worry now. I made sure to leave your pretty face and all important manhood area undamaged. Now then, shall we enjoy ourselves?~"

She then gently picks Gabriel up and cradles him in her arms. Though she had rend his flesh, his muscles were as steel, and she took a moment to admire his blood covered physique.

"Oh, my!~ You're a tough one, aren't you?"

She then takes a deep breath, and savors his scent with a perverse moan as she speaks again.

"Aah~. You have such a wonderful smell. Now... let's see how you taste.~"

Bwynleah then drags her tongue over his abs and then up to his chest, collecting as much of Gabriel's blood in her mouth as possible. During this, Gabriel's mind was at last calm as he thinks with clarity.

 _'Ugh. Perhaps I should thank this vile creature. I can now focus my thoughts while she pleasures herself. Of course, once she realizes what's in my blood, I don't expect to live very long. Must focus the [Blood Magic] on healing my internal injuries and planning my next step. I now know that my [Emerald Flames] are somehow inside me, and I have a vague idea on how to summon them, but the pain was beyond intense. How do I...?"_

Gabriel's thoughts are interrupted as Bwynleah shutters in utter ecstasy as she speaks.

"Dead gods what IS this blood?~ So rich! So powerful! Almost like... like..."

The queen's words trail off as her eyes widened in shock, and without warning drops Gabriel's body to the floor. As Bwynleah backs away she begins shouting with anger and venom in her voice, all of which directed towards him.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?! No human could have THAT in his blood!"

For the first time since their fight had began, she looked disturbed, unnerved, and quite possibly even frightened. Something within his blood had perturbed her to the point of even shaking in place. During this, Gabriel was contemplating his next move.

 _'Time's up. Can't continue playing possum for much longer. Like I figured, she's rattled from the fact I have [Blood Magic] coursing through my veins. I need to act quickly. Need to buy time for my plan to work, but how do I control those damned flames now?! They cause so much pain I couldn't even think straight! How, damn it? How?!'_

* * *

Gabriel's thoughts travel at lightning speeds as he forces himself to run through a myriad of memories. Without knowing how or why, he remembers his time being trained by his godmother, Regina. She was the older sister of his friend Jon, and the one who saved him upon being orphaned. She was an excellent guardian, but when he had requested training from her, she was unrelenting and without pity, just as he agreed she would be.

During one such training session, he was being subjected to a training regimen that would strengthen his endurance. Only catch was, he had to wear a harness that would inflict continual pain upon the wearer. He remembers how his younger self reacted.

"The hell is this you albino hag?!"

*SLAP!*

The sounds of an open palm slapping a cheek resounds throughout a large, wooden construction training hall lit by a dozen candles. The "hag" came into view and it was a beautiful, shapely woman in her forties with long, white hair that went down to her waist and a well developed bust. She wore what looked like a white and blue colored kimono that only accentuated her curvaceous features.

The perfect mature beauty also had two other distinct features to her: slitted, golden colored eyes and slightly pointed ears. Much like her younger brother Jon, she was also a real, living werewolf, and Regina was how Jon and Gabriel had met. After slapping Gabriel, she spoke in cold tones.

"This is the training you wished for me to grant you. Do not complain."

"I'm not complaining, damn it! I don't get why I am in this torture contraption! It feels like it's tearing me apart!"

"Yes. And?" She says again in cold tones.

"And... what the hell is the point of this?!"

Regina sighs tiredly before responding. "Let me answer your question with another question, young Gabriel: do you think that everything in your life will come easily?"

"What? What are you going on about granny?" He growled back.

Regina's right eye twitched four to five times before she exhales and responded, but this time with more life and energy in her voice.

"Young Gabriel, you have already experienced a measure of pain when your parents died to save you from your former home as it burned. But that is nothing compared to what else this world can throw at you. You wanted this training to be ready for a life outside this valley we call home. Well, this is part of it. Learning to embrace pain."

"HUH?!"

"Don't understand? Not surprising. Most living creatures actively avoid the sensation of pain whenever possible. It is the natural response after all. But what about the soldier on the battlefield who must continue to fight, or to march on covered in wounds from battle? He does not have the option to run away from the pain of those situations."

Her words had a stern edge as she continued to lecture the teenaged Gabriel, who had briefly forgotten his discomfort as he listened intently with wide-eyed awe.

"The same applies to a mother giving birth. She does not get the option to run away from the pain and discomfort that comes with bringing a new life into the world. They both have only two options available to them. They can either lay down and die, or they can endure and embrace the pain. To use it and make it work for them, to drive them on to survival, and with that survival comes their victory over weakness and death."

The younger Gabriel then locked eyes with his godmother as he realizes the truth of her words and his countenance became hardened.

"So then my beautiful brat, will you lay down and die, or will you bite the bullet and embrace the pain to survive? Embrace the pain Gabriel. Embrace it. EMBRACE IT!"

* * *

Gabriel's mind comes back to the present as he lets out a toothy grin.

 _'Damn it you old hag. You got me there.'_

Meanwhile, Bwynleah was approaching him with her bladed scepter in hand, rambling incoherently to herself.

"No, no, no, no. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Can't be. Can't be. Won't accept it. Must die. Must die now!"

She finishes her ramblings as she prepares to bring her scepter down on Gabriel's chest. Lost in her own thoughts, she fails to notice Gabriel taking in calm, measured breaths of air, as if to prepare himself.

 _'This is going to suck. The. Biggest. Donkey. Ball. Ever.'_

Gabriel has a wide, toothy grin as he clenches his fists tightly as if to brace himself for something. Bwynleah looks down, sees his grin and momentarily becomes confused and uncertain at the strange sight. As if in response to her hesitation, Gabriel speaks to her in a mocking tone.

"I should thank you, Bwynleah.~ Because of you I remembered a long forgotten lesson from an albino werewolf granny that really pissed me off at times, but I still loved her regardless."

Bwynleah stood motionless in complete bewilderment at his words, and before she could react, Gabriel's eyes opened and shined with a bright emerald light. Not a second after this, both of them became engulfed in a pillar of emerald flame that erupted from his body.

She dived out of the maelstrom of flame and heat, with her armor smoking and her visibly affected by the exposure. She rolled and tumbled about a dozen feet away before coming to a stop on her hands and knees panting, seeming to be drained.

Meanwhile, inside that maelstrom Gabriel's screams of pain could be heard echoing throughout the entire throne room. After a moment, those screams changed into animalistic roars as the pillar of flame shrank down. As it did, one could clearly see he was on his feet, with his hands open and fingers crooked like they were claws. Gabriel was baring his teeth like a beast, with his canines being especially pronounced.

Bwynleah stared with mouth agape in shock at the sight. Emerald flames surrounded his body like he was a part of it. However, as she looked closely, the blood that soaked his body was burning away and the wounds she had inflicted were glowing an emerald light and smoking, as she could pick up the tale-tell aroma of burning flesh from him.

All his wounds looked like they had become cauterized as they pulsed with emerald light. He looked up and glared at Bwynleah with eyes filled with emerald flame. His roars of pain subsided, and his breathing, while still labored, began to calm down as well. To the queen's shock, all the black ice from her previous attacks in the area had started to melt and evaporate.

The temperatures of the air, while back to a normal room level, felt heavy and was difficult to breath in. Her body suddenly felt heavy as well and her skin had a hot and prickly sensation crawl all over her. Most of all, she felt a barrage of feelings and emotions that were not her own that ranged from every one that she could conceive, and others that she could not.

"UUOOOAAHH! AAAAAAARGH!"

Gabriel roars once more as he clenches his hands into fists and straightens his posture. As he does so, the shape and image of a dragon with wings spread took shape above his head and roars in unison with him.

 _/'Glorious Gabriel! Simply glorious! You have FINALLY learned to tap into our power! You learned to use your pain to ignite the [Emerald Flames], and your raw emotions to fuel them. Everything from your love, hate, joy, sadness, anger, melancholy, adulation, and everything in between. The pain will lessen in time, but for now, kill this WRETCH!'/_

Back in the alcove, Kahkar was, for the first time since the fight had began, sitting up in awe and excitement. Tears freely flowed from his eyes as he said only two words.

"It's beautiful."

As the image of a dragon above Gabriel faded and was absorbed into his flamed aura, Rahkar lost himself in thought.

 _'I can feel this man's raw emotion. His presence alone makes my blood boil. The last time I felt anything remotely like this was when I won an audience with the Platinum Dragon Lord himself. Such raw dragonic power. Can I dare to hope he can win?'_

As the dragon Rahkar lost himself in his own thoughts, Bwynleah was the very picture of disturbed and unsettled. She couldn't stop shaking as she gazed upon Gabriel with unmasked fear as she shouted at him.

"What are you?! How did you do this?! HOW?!"

Gabriel simply glares at her as he growls in a voice with a deep echo.

"Fuck you, that's how."

Bwynleah's face contorts with heated rage and hate as her dreadlocks started to shed ice dust of purple and black. While she grimaced, Gabriel took his left thumb and index finger, put them in his mouth, and created a sharp, piercing whistle whilst he also extended his right hand. As if summoned by that act, his sword flew back into his grip. His flame aura that was clinging to him then spread to the weapon, engulfing it.

When it did the guard, handle, and pommel changed color from their original silver to shining emerald, as the eyes of the dragon-head shaped guard similarly changed its color to a ruby red. Paying this no heed, Gabriel points the sword towards Bwynleah.

"Time to die you monstrous bitch."

To this provocation she lets out a crazed laugh.

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Were you not listening?! I am immortal you can't hope to..."

"Shut up." Gabriel calmly interjected.

"What?! How dare you...?!"

Bwynleah found her words cut off again.

"I already know your secret, so just shut up, Yogg filth."

The instant Gabriel said "Yogg", the eyes of both Bwynleah and Rahkar widened to the size of saucers. Seeing her shocked looks Gabriel continued speaking with a subtle growl in his voice.

"Although it goes against my personal policy to carry on a conversation in the middle of a fight, let me go ahead and enlighten you. Yes, I know what you are. I suspected what you were the first moment I heard your description, and seeing your ugly mug only confirmed it. And your claims to 'immortality' is for the most part correct, save for one very important detail..."

Bwynleah could only listen on in what could be described as pure terror as she realized her mistake in playing with her foe instead of killing him on the spot. Rahkar in the back was laser focused on the conversation, as his flames of hope were once again reignited.

"Should any race besides a human, dwarf, elf, angel, werewolf, vampire, or dragon land a killing blow you can transfer your soul and life essence into them. However, thanks to an ancient blood curse that was bound to your kind, any one of the previously named seven races can kill you without fear. So, anymore questions?"

Bwynleah felt a cold chill go down her back despite the renewed warmth of the throne room. This man was the first she had encountered in her fifty plus years of life in this world, that knew so much about her kind. She steeled her resolve and took a stance before speaking with a hiss.

"How? How do you know of my kind?!"

"Oh? That's an easy one. About 192 years ago, in a little place called Thailand, one of your kind was summoned by a bunch of idiots who had no idea what they were doing. For their trouble, it killed and devoured them, their troops, a whole village, and ten of the people I was sent in with. And just so we're clear, with the help of some friends of mine, I managed to kill that one too."

"NO! T-Then that means you're from..."

"Discussion is over. You die now." Gabriel hissed as he charged forward.

[Fly]!

Bwynleah took to the air with her flight spell, but much to her shock and dismay, her opponent followed her by blasting upward like a rocket with his [Emerald Flame] at his feet. Before she could react he was upon her, and had his sword at his waist in his left hand like it was in a sheath.

[Blaze Slash]

*GONG*FAWOOSH*

She barely managed to block a devastating slash attack that also released a stream of green flames that had all but melted the black ice in the area. The impact of the attack sent her plummeting back down to the ground with a *CRASH*, whilst Gabriel used the heat blown off from his flames to float in the air. He then spoke in cold, and venomous tones to his quarry.

"That's where you belong, monster. Flat on your back. Perhaps I should let Rahkar out and let him ravage and abuse YOU for a change!"

The dragon he referred to could only meekly grin at the comment. For over two years he had dreamed of this moment. The moment the monster Bwynleah would be humbled and killed, and now he allowed himself to hope once again.

Consequently, Bwynleah was gritting her teeth as she picked herself up, and as soon as she stood straight up she roared.

"ARGHAAAAAAH! I WON'T HAVE A LOWLY HUMAN LOOK DOWN ON ME!"

She slammed her scepter into the ground, and just as Gabriel realized what she had planned to do, he allowed himself to stop floating in the air, concentrated all his flames into the blade of his sword, and pointed it downward so it could strike the ground. As it did, both of them chanted their attacks.

[Flame-Fortress of the Emerald Hell]!

[Encroachment: Piller of the Loosed Void]!

The near simultaneous activation of their attacks was like the end of days had arrived as multiple streams of emerald flames shot upward. They collided with a singular stream of glowing purplish-blackness that encompassed the entirety of the room's diameter, and made it seem that the night's sky itself was falling down upon them.

Both Gabriel and Bwynleah channeled everything they had as they both roared like monsters fighting for territory. The palace, and by extension the whole mountain began to shake and tremble as these two titans clashed for dominance.

Gabriel himself appeared as if he was waning in power and stamina, whilst his foe still seemed to have mana and stamina to spare. Realizing how this tug of war would end if it continued, Gabriel focused the flames enveloping his body into the ground, and allowed them to shoot up from Bwynleah's feet. This moment of distraction was all he needed to win the clash as he pouring everything he had left into his attack.

The resulting clashes of power and magic shot upwards, destroying the ceiling, and by extension the mountain top. That illuminated the night sky with pillars of bright green flames that pushed the blackness up into nothingness.

Outside, Tamura was floating in the air with other, camouflaged winged creatures destroying the debris with magic spells and arrows loosed from magic bows. As she did this, she took a moment to stare up in awe at the green flame. Then realization hit her as she unconsciously asked aloud.

"How did Lord Gabriel produce the powers of the [Emerald Flame] without his armor?!"

Back inside what remains of the throne room, Gabriel was now on his hands and knees panting like a man who had run a marathon. Bwynleah, whilst similarly winded stood tall and proud, and smiled as if she had won.

"Well, *pant* now... *pant* you shall *pant* learn your *huff* place human. I'm going to *huff* force some answers *pant* out of you *huff* before I kill you." She said with a perverse grin while slowly walking forward.

As she did, a subtle golden light enveloped her and in that instant her fatigue seemed to have waned.

"Aaaaah.~ All Better now." She said with a relaxed sigh as she stretched her limbs.

She then took two more steps and was just an arm's length away from Gabriel as she reached for him with her left hand.

"Now then, shall we... what?!" She hisses in surprise.

Her whole body shook as she stood in place.

"I... I can't move... Impossible! What did you do?!" She growled as she glared at Gabriel who had a small grin on his face.

He stood up, still panting but not nearly as badly as before. He then deprived her of her combat scepter with a sword slash that knocked it from her grip as he then sternly and confidently spoke.

"I've taken away your ability to move freely wretch, that's what I did. This is what's called 'checkmate', Bwynleah Veinun."

She gritted her teeth at the non-answer she received and hissed in reply, and as Gabriel stabbed his blade into the ground, placing both hands on the handle, he spoke again in a calm and authoritarian tone of voice.

"Don't understand? Well, let me answer your question with another question. What did you swallow before I unleashed my flames?"

Her eyes widened with dawning horror as she realized what he was implying, but she then growled back as she spoke.

"NO! That's not possible! The power in her blood alone couldn't have done this..." She said before being cut off by Gabriel.

"And you would be correct, if [Blood Magic] was the only thing coursing through my veins. Tell me, do you know what nano-technology is?"

Gabriel receive a blank expression in response as he then pulled his sword up and walked around to her backside.

"No? Figured you wouldn't. Your kind haven't been on Earth in quite some time. Not that it matters, but the short version is you allowed me to test a theory I came up with on the fly while your spell was tearing into my body. I bided my time, and waited to see if my crazy idea would work. Heh. How ironic. The same thing that had trapped me ended up trapping you, thus saved my life." Gabriel mused with a bitter smile.

"Your rambling won't save you from my wrath human! I WILL break free!" She hissed as she strained against her frozen body.

Gabriel then reached over and grabbed onto her back, waited three seconds, and then spoke in a low, but fierce tone of voice.

"You're assuming I'll let you live long enough to do that."

The instant he finished his comment, Gabriel slashed behind her knees, which sent her toppling forward. Only her extended arms caught her fall, and now she was the one who had been sent to her hands and knees in helpless prostration.

"ARGHAAAH!"

"Hmph. Thought so. If my hunch is right, you're using a powerful magic item not of this world that boosts your defenses and increases your stamina recovery rate. Correct?"

Once again, Bwynleah Veinun was taken aback in wide-eyed shock.

"H-How...?"

"You made the mistake of reacting to me when I grabbed onto you during one of our exchanges. During that time I didn't fail to notice that my bare hand passed through a magic of some kind, and you reacted as if you were in trouble. A clever enough foe can pick up on little things like that if you're not careful, dumbass."

Bwynleah began to grimace and growl at her own carelessness as Gabriel continued her humiliation by pointing out her mistakes.

"If you had kept your cool, and pretended nothing was amiss, I most likely wouldn't have noticed and figured out that the key to breaching your defense, was to simply hold onto you for two and a half seconds. That is a very specific interval, and combined with what I saw, made me remember a very specific item that has that ability. The one that you are most likely wearing around your neck underneath your armor."

Bwynleah's trembling stopped as she froze, realizing that her enemy figured out her trump card.

"Your mistake Bwynleah, was in thinking that as long as you had that item, you would be invincible. Every item, no matter how formidable, has a weakness."

Gabriel then moved to her front and lift up her chin with his sword as he continued his lecture.

"Furthermore, you talk too much. You are so full of yourself, you fail to err on the side of caution. Not to mention your own low perceptions of humans clouded adherence to basic caution. The moment you underestimate your opponent, is the moment you fail. Well, that's enough talk from me. Time to die, Yogg filth."

The moment Gabriel said that last phrase, Bwynleah once more struggled in vain to break free, but it was of no use. He leans over with his left hand, grabs her chin, waits for a few seconds, and then positions his sword's tip near her mouth. It does not take her long to surmise his intentions as her eyes widen in terror.

"No... no..." She said almost pleadingly.

"I'm sorry, are you trying to beg? After all you have done, you deserve not an ounce of mercy. Down the hatch, and goodbye, Yogg filth." He said in emotionless tones.

In that instant Gabriel shoves the length of his sword's blade into her mouth and into the length of her body. As she spasmed and choked, Gabriel was not finished as he twisted the blade, and then with a room shaking roar he ignites his [Emerald Flame] inside of Bwynleah's body.

If she had screamed, no one could hear it as Gabriel roared from the painful recoil of using his flames. Within just a few moments, the Yogg was burned from the inside out and was turning into ash.

After a few moments, all that was left was her scorched armor that had all but lost its sheen, and a glowing gold object he could barely make out in the remains. He reached down slightly to pick it up, but then suddenly stopped as his body started to convulse. Gabriel dropped his sword and his vision became blurred as more emerald flames started to emerge without him willing them forth.

Gabriel clenched his fists and his teeth and braced himself as a shockwave of green flames erupted from his body and spread to every corner of the throne room. The double doors blew open and destroyed the iron golems behind it, and emerald flames shot forth into and out of the hall past the front entrance of the palace, and shot up from the destroyed ceiling and into the night sky like an emerald volcano.

The flames slowly receded in the span of a few minutes. When they did and Gabriel could clearly be seen, he had a look of shock on his face as he looked down at himself and saw he was now clad in his YGGDRASIL gear, [Armor of the Emerald Dragon].

"W-What is happening? How did... what was...? It wasn't just the power, but the armor itself was inside me?!"

He was in total confusion as the event took him by complete surprise. Not expecting it in the slightest, he could only look down at his hands in wonder. Then as he flexed his hands, arms, and filled his lungs with air, Gabriel's eyes narrowed as he realized other important details.

"My fatigue is gone and I feel energized. I also feel a bit stronger than before, and I can feel my vitality is greater than before I got here. It feels like... did I just level-up?!"

 _/"Indeed you did, young Gabriel."/_

Gabriel looked perturbed as he suddenly started looking and turning in every direction in a 360 degree radius. Seeing nothing but his flames dying down he wondered aloud.

"Who said that?"

 _/"Hoh? Does this mean you can finally hear my voice?"/_

"What the...?! Wait. That was in my head. Are you speaking directly into my mind?" Gabriel asked as he composed himself.

 _/"Indeed, young Gabriel. To finally be able to speak to you outside of dreams is quite fulfilling for me."/_

"Outside of... wait. I know that voice. I recognize it now!" Gabriel exclaimed as he realized something important.

 _/"Very good. You're actually quite bright when you want to be, young one. Hmm? Tsk! It seems we won't be able to communicate much longer. The phenomenon you referred to as, 'level-up', allowed only a temporary moment of connection. It's now fading fast. How disappointing for us both, but I am confident there will be another time. Just know that I am a part of you Gabriel, and that I am your ally... "/_

The voice fades with an echo in Gabriel's mind, leaving him with more questions than answers as he curses aloud.

"Tsk! Dammit it all. More bullshit to deal with. Like I didn't have enough on my plate as it is. Oooh, fer' crying out loud. "

Gabriel's annoyed expression fades as he recomposes himself with one of focus as his attention goes back to his armor that still pulses with green light and energy. He then analyzes what had happened in his mind.

 _'Putting aside the surprise voice in my head and the complicated shit that entails, I've got to figure this one out right now. Hmm...'_

Gabriel cradles his chin with his left hand as the flames in the area continue to die down and he slowly begins to walk towards Rahkar's alcove that had now lost the barrier.

 _'Despite the changes I went through after my two bodies merged, it still more or less develops in a similar manner as the game. Strange. So, my level was reduced to lvl-95, thanks to what I suspect was the merger. That might have acted as a "rebirth" of sorts, reducing my level and opening up a new avenue for development. In game terms, I might have just unlocked a new specialized class, like Touch-Me's [World Champion] class or Momonga's [Eclipse] class. Hm? I feel as if I could...'_

As his thoughts trail off, Gabriel turns around, and extends his right hand and wills his sword to return to him. After it vibrated for a few seconds it then flew into his grip. He then holds it with both hands, and closes his eyes in concentration. A moment after doing this his armor shimmers in green light and flame and slowly fades from view.

Looking down at himself, he sees the armor had been dismissed as he had surmised it would. He also noticed that despite his previous wounds having healed for the most part, there were still numerous scars covering his chest, abs, arms, legs, and he guessed even his back too. He seemed to pay it no heed as he focused within himself.

He could feel that his armor and its power was a part of him in a sense, and as long as he had the vigor and stamina he could call it forth at almost any time he wished. He also noticed that his flames had somehow changed the color of the floor from an obsidian to a creamy jade color. Gabriel briefly smiled at the change before moving on.

Seemingly satisfied with his experiments he closed the distance with Rahkar who had been watching him with eyes filled with awe and expectation. Gabriel then lifted his sword above his head with both hands gripping the handle.

Whilst misunderstanding Gabriel's intentions, Rahkar lowered his head and closed his eyes with a smile, waiting for an end to his miserable and empty life. That end did not come, as Gabriel then brought down his sword, and with seven blurred slashes sliced the black chains and collar that held him. They all then slid off almost in unison.

Gabriel then turned around, walked about 2 meters away from Rahkar, and stabbed his sword into the ground with the flat part facing forward. He then sat down and leaned back onto the sword in a relaxed posture. Rahkar watched him in surprise at first, but then understood that he was not the type to kill without reason, even if he had wished for it in his heart.

As Rahkar relaxed himself, Gabriel gave him a small surprise as he then reached into a small portal and withdrew a small silver container. He then pulled out a single cigarette, put it in his mouth, and then lit it with a single, small emerald flame from his right index finger. He takes a moment to take in several puffs in silence, while Rahkar looked on in curiosity and expectation.

It seemed to Rahkar that the man to his front called Gabriel was not only trying to decompress from the intense battle he had, but also trying to find the right words to say to him. Rahkar would be the one to preempt this as he spoke first.

"Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon. From the bottom of my heart, I must thank you for not only freeing me, but also for freeing the people of this land from that witch. I am eternally in your debt." Rahkar says as he bows his head to Gabriel.

"You are welcome. Oh, and feel free to drop the honorifics. As far as I am concerned we are just two people who have survived tragic circumstances." Gabriel said with a small smile, but with a solemn tone of voice.

Rahkar could not only see the truth and sincerity in his words, but he could also feel the subtle vestiges of emotion coming from his. These feelings had somewhat mirrored his own in many respects, and a kinship was starting to form between them. Although he was still curious as to Gabriel's origins, bloodline, and powers, he decided against prying into it, as the man had delivered him from bondage and misery.

"Very well. Then I shall address you as, 'Sir Gabriel'. Is that acceptable?"

"Hm. That's perfectly fine. Now then..." He pauses by taking a puff from his cigarette before continuing.

"First off, I want to offer my deepest condolences for all that you have suffered. I hope that the death of that vile filth, brings you some measure of satisfaction, though I doubt it will heal the wounds on your heart. Believe me, I know what is it like to lose those dearest to you, and to be trapped in a circumstance that is not of your choosing." Gabriel says with a bow of his head, with a few tears seen rolling down his left cheek.

Rahkar could faintly feel Gabriel's emotions and could not doubt the sincerity of his words at all. He surmised that it was probably due to whatever dragonic heritage his new benefactor possessed that allowed this to happen. He could feel a sorrow, so deep and profound that it rivaled his own. He himself started to shed tears as he lowered his head and spoke in a voice of solemnity.

"I... I thank you for your words and feelings, Sir Gabriel. They truly touch the heart and mean a great deal to me."

After Rahkar said his peace, they both sit in a moment of silence as they both shed their mutual tears of grief and loss.

During this, Gabriel disposes of his used cigarette with a flick of his index finger, and the remains burn into nothingness with a flash of green flame. He then lights another in its place and continues to silently smoke. Then Rahkar raised his head once more to speak.

"Sir Gabriel, you said 'First off', which implies you had more to say."

"Indeed. I had questions to ask, and information to share with you, but only if you feel up to it." Gabriel said softly, with his compassion and understanding apparent for Rahkar to see.

"I thank you for your concern and compassion. Truly, thou art a man of honor and of morals... Proceed with your questions."

"I see..." There was hesitation as Gabriel paused with a smoked exhale before speaking.

"Let me start by saying that the forces sent by Bwynleah, including your remaining children, are alive and well."

Rahkar stared wide-eyed at the news, but felt nothing but truth in Gabriel's words as he then lowered his head and smiled in silent thanks for the news. Gabriel had a slight grimace as he noticed Rahkar's demeanor, but forged on ahead with the conversation regardless. Sensing the change, Rahkar looked up to give his attention.

"Now then, though this is a difficult question, it must be asked regardless. Now that Bwynleah is dead, a power vacuum will be created that those within and without your country will not hesitate to exploit. If that happens, I have no doubt innocents with no stake in such struggles with be caught in the middle. Because of this I must ask you; do you feel up to taking the reins of rulership once again?"

Rahkar had a blank, emotionless expression on his face as he parsed Gabriel's words, which rang with hard truth and cold logic. One could say that he had expected this kind of question given his countenance. More than that, Rahkar could not deny that it was a fair question, as he could tell that his savior had no designs upon the rulership himself.

"Hmm... I will be frank with you, Sir Gabriel. I have my doubts that I will be capable of such a thing." Rahkar said in a monotoned voice.

Gabriel exhaled smoke as he then responded.

"I can't say that I blame you. I recently found myself in a similar predicament. However, allow me to also be frank. If not you, then who else can? One of your surviving children _might_ be able to do it, but their presence would not nearly have the effect that yours would. You are still well loved and respected by the people. Can you truly say that your presence would not be of benefit in this situation?"

Rahkar could only grit his teeth as he realized that Gabriel's assessment was the correct one. Indeed, it would prevent a great deal of problems from arising once word got out to the people that Bwynleah had been slain, but the weary frost dragon was still unsure if he could do it given what he had been through. Before he could reply, Gabriel spoke once more with a conviction in his voice.

"Let me be clear on something else: should you decide to retake the rulership, you will not do so alone. I can provide aid to you and your country, and the aid of which I speak will come in the form of personnel to assist you in this difficult time, as well as a few resources in the short term."

As Gabriel finished his proposal, Rahkar's eyes briefly widened in surprise before they narrowed once again. Although he could sense the truth of Gabriel's words, he also sensed that he desired something in return.

"I see... If I accept your offer, what is it that you wish in return?"

Gabriel exhaled another puff of smoke before speaking.

"All the knowledge and information your country has, which includes, but is not limited to the surrounding countries, peoples, magic, currency, languages, and anything else you may know of this world. In return, I offer my help in this difficult time."

The dragon's eyes twitched as he heard the words, "this world", which had confirmed his earlier suspicions that Gabriel was an entity like those of the Eight Greed Kings of old. However, unlike them he was kind, sympathetic, and benign. Not being particularly thrilled about resuming the rule a of nation after two years of constant abuse and rape, he also had to concede he had little choice in the matter. He was just thankful for the help.

"Though it pains me to admit it, your words ring true..." Rahkar said with a weary growl.

"Very well... I agree to your terms."

Gabriel once again flicks a used cigarette into the air that vanishes in green flame and places his cigarette pack in his inventory. He then takes a bow with his head before speaking again.

"I am sorry for this, but know that you are not alone, and in my own way I know what it's like trying to move forward under shitty circumstances." Gabriel says with a grin.

The dragon Rahkar picked up on it and just let out a soft chuckle of his own.

"By the way, you don't mind if I take all those magic items the monster bitch was using, do you?" Gabriel said with a deadpan expression as he then pointed behind him with his left thumb.

"Hmph. I don't have an issue with it. To the victor the spoils. Besides, I want nothing here to remind me of her." Rahkar said with an aggressive, guttural growl.

"Don't worry. I will take care of it. *sighs* Now that we've gotten those issues out of the way, there are things I must inform you of. Things that will be difficult to hear, but they cannot wait."

Rahkar narrowed his vision and saw how hesitant Gabriel was. He was uncomfortable and filled with regret and sadness by whatever it was he had to say. Rahkar himself was filled with equal parts trepidation and curiosity himself, and thus gave Gabriel a simple nod to continue, who then let out a long exaggerated sigh before speaking.

"First, the 'acolytes' that Bwynleah had for herself. It was discovered that they wore magical headbands that controlled their actions and movements like puppets. One of my subordinates had found a way to free them without killing them, but I ordered her not to. I did so on the basis that since they were still self-aware, they would not want to live with the knowledge and memories of the horrors that they helped her do. As such, it was my reasoning that letting them die in peace would have been more merciful."

Gabriel had a dark and saddened look on his face whilst Rahkar had a knowing one on his. Indeed, it was a difficult choice, one that he found himself in full approval of, and so he spoke in soft and friendly tones.

"Do not burden yourself, Gabriel. You made the right decision. One I would have made myself if faced with the same situation."

"Umu..." Gabriel muttered with a nod, doing another long, exaggerated sigh before continuing.

"I have one other bit of news to share, Rahkar Ailouros. It is about one of your sons who had led the Royal Air Guard. The one named, Ohrly'ress? I regret that I must be the one to be the bearer of bad news, but I must inform you..."

Gabriel hesitated for a second, only for Rahkar to interrupt him.

"... That he is a traitor, correct?" He said in solemn tones and with a blank expression.

Gabriel cocked an eyebrow and gazed upon the dragon before replying.

"So you knew..."

"I didn't know exactly, but I was a prisoner for two, long years and I had ample time to reflect on the fall of my family and kingdom. Too many things didn't add up, but when I had considered a possible traitor in our midst, then things fell into place. And of all the survivors, only one seemed the most likely candidate. All you did was confirm it for me."

The frost dragon had a blank expression as he spoke, but Gabriel could detect hints of disappointment and regret in his voice. For once, he was thankful that he could not empathize with Rahkar, as he had to muster the resolve to ask another, painful question of the dragon.

"I have Ohrly'ress in chains and in my custody. The choice of what befalls him next is yours to make, Rahkar Ailouros." Gabriel said in neutral tones.

The dragon took a deep breath, and made his own overly exaggerated sigh, that filled the air with cold mist, before speaking in an empty voice devoid of feeling.

"What happens to him is no longer my concern. I here and now disown him as a son and as a citizen of the Land of the Drake Riders. Do with him what you will."

Gabriel could only nod as he understood the full implications of his words. Having said all that he needed to say, he stood up and pulled his sword out from the ground. Having placed it on his back, the sheath and harness faded into view as he then walked over to Rahkar and steadily chucked the remains of the chains in his inventory.

Rahkar Ailouros was both awed and amused as he saw this, as he recalled saying he wanted nothing to remind him of Bwynleah. As Gabriel walked away he suddenly stopped and cupped his chin in thought. Then he turned to Rahkar to speak once more.

"Tell me something, once word gets out about your liberation, there will no doubt be a great deal of questions regarding it, correct?"

The dragon tilted his head as he looked at Gabriel in confusion, not quite understanding where he was going with it. Regardless he spoke up to answer.

"Well, yes I suppose so. That would only be natural, would it not?"

"Hmm. That's a problem. For now, I don't wish word of who I am, what I look like, and what I have done to go beyond you and your Royal Air Guard. Just too many questions would be raised otherwise. Consider that part of our agreement as well." Gabriel lets out an annoyed sigh as he continues speaking.

"Still, tonight's events cannot be covered up due to your freedom and the overtly flashy show that lit up the night's sky. Hmm... where I come from, we have these things that we call 'urban legends'. I propose that we create one of our own. When asked for who or what killed Bwynleah, tell them that she incurred the wrath of another powerful dragon. Tell them, that they were liberated by the 'Emerald Dragon Lord'."

As Gabriel spoke an aura of emerald flame encompassed his eyes and rose up from his body. The aura then took the shape of a dragon's head and a low growl could be heard as he looked upon Rahkar Ailouros.

The dragon was completely speechless at the sight, and at the raw dragonic power he could feel coming from his savior and benefactor. He could swear that it was a bit more powerful than when Gabriel had fought Bwynleah. Rahkar then closed his mouth as he realized it was agape, and smiled as he gave a nod of approval.

 _'Gabriel Erin Dracon... you are no doubt an enigma, but if there is one thing I am completely sure of, is that the title of "Dragon Lord" is a fitting one for you.'_

Gabriel's aura fades and he lets out a small sigh as he speaks.

"Until we meet again, Rahkar Ailouros." Gabriel says with a small but friendly smile.

"Y-Yes. Until we meet again, Gabriel Erin Dracon." Rahkar says returning one of his own.

Gabriel then turns and pivots on his heel and walks towards the smoking remains of the Yogg Bwynleah's equipment. The golden object he saw before was still shining in the ashes of that monster. He bent down at the waist, picked it up, and shook it rigorously to remove the remnants of ash on it as he gazed upon it with scrutiny.

The object was golden in color with an ornate star-shaped design that looked like it was made of platinum and silver, in the center of a convex, crescent-shaped plate, that was roughly 6 inches (15.24cm) in length and 4 inches (10.2cm) in width worn around the neck with a thick chain. To him it looked like an exquisitely designed and priceless royal gorget from Europe. He could feel the immense power it held as he placed it on his belt.

As Gabriel chucks the charred armor and the floating scepter into his inventory he fell into thought.

 _'Better have Tamura take a look at it. If it is what I think it is, then that just confirms another theory I had.'_

A few minutes later, he walks out into the open night of the front entrance of Rurah Palace, and there waiting for him was Tamura standing at attention with her beautiful staff held in both hands as if for dear life. Her facial expression went through phases of shock, awe, concern, and if Gabriel was correct, even a tinge of attraction as she saw the state he was in. He had scars all over his body and no clothes save for his boots and the remnants of his pants that now looked more like short-shorts.

She shook her head vigorously and spoke up in worried tones.

"M-My lord! Are you alright?! Are you in need of healing? Do you need...!"

As she spoke in her flustered state, Gabriel lifted up his left hand to silence her before she would drone on.

"I am fine Tamura. The battle was hard fought, with quite a few surprises along the way but it ended in complete victory, with the liberation of this country and it's true leader, Rahkar Ailouros."

She had a look of respect and awe as she took a bow and looked to her master with a blushing face.

"A-As expected of our Lord Gabriel. I feel ashamed of my earlier behavior... My lord if I my ask, I and everyone outside saw your [Emerald Flame]. I wondered how that was possible without your armor?"

"Heh. A lot has happened and I'll take my time to brief you and Walter in full later. Right now however..." Gabriel paused as he pulled the object from before from his belt and handed it to Tamura.

"I need you to I.D. this magic item for me. I have my suspicions but I'd rather have confirmation."

"Oh! O-Of course. Pardon me my lord." She said as she took the object in her hand.

[All Appraisal Magic Item]!

The instant she chanted that spell her eyes widened to the size of saucers. So great was her shock that she failed to notice her master was calling out to her.

"...Tamura? TAMURA!"

"OH! My deepest apologies my lord! I-It's just that... what you have here... is a... this is a... World Class Item!"

Gabriel sighs tiredly as he then spoke.

"I thought so. And the name of the item?"

"Yes, my lord! This is the [Amulet of the Divine Star], and has the ability to grant the user protection against other World Class Items, grants 'Divine Class' protection against all other attack types, provided that the user's base gear meets minimum requirements, allows spell casting without any EXP loss, and..."

Gabriel raises his hand up to halt Tamura from continuing.

"I understand your excitement Tamura, but I already know it's effects, including its strengths and weaknesses. I just needed my suspicions confirmed."

"Oh! My apologies." She says with a bow.

"It's fine Tamura, so stop apologizing and bowing. It's getting tiresome, especially after a battle." Gabriel said with an expression of fatigue.

"Oh! My apolo... I mean, understood, my lord. If I may ask, how is it that you know of this item?" Tamura asked with wide-eyed curiosity.

"Our guild was on friendly terms with another in YGGDRASIL called 'ACE'. One of their members once spoke of the World Class Item in question that they had managed to secure. Last time I checked he and it were still in YGGDRASIL, so its appearance here is both a surprise and a mystery to me." Gabriel said in a pensive tone.

Tamura seemed in awe as she was given this new information. Like a child who had received a special treat, and her eyes widened again as another thought crossed her mind.

"My Lord Gabriel, was Bwynleah the wielder of this World Class Item?"

"Yes, she was and she was also a lvl-90 too. Beating her was a royal pain in my ass." Gabriel said nonchalantly as he massaged the back of his neck.

Tamura however was not as casual as her master. The moment she heard about the level of his opponent and the fact she wielded the item, she trembled in place, with a multitude of various emotions running through her.

To her knowledge, no one in the guild of the Dragon's Inquisition had ever single-handedly defeated the user of a World Item before. She was overcome with pride, fear, respect, and adulation for her master's accomplishment, but also was in awe of how humble he was being in the face of it. She took a bow as she then spoke.

"Congratulations on your victory, my lord."

"Thank you Tamura. Now then, as planned ensure that all of the guards we detained regain consciousness upon our departure. Also, store the World Item and this other gear I will hand you in your inventory. When we return, get with Charon and have all of these items analyzed and stored away in the treasury."

"By your command, Lord Gabriel. It shall be done."

After a moment of exchanging items from his inventory to hers, Gabriel speaks to her in a stern, but relaxed fashion.

"Well, tomorrow we have a great many things to do. Let's return home... Oh. I nearly forgot. Have Ericah Sabine's people informed of the news of Bwynleah's death, and have their gear returned to them. They are now guests of Dracon's Keep, and shall be allowed to camp on the 5th-floor. Also, have Ericah herself brought to my personal quarters. I have a promise to keep."

"A promise my lord?" Tamura said as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Yeah. You don't need to know." Gabriel said as he rolled his eyes.

 _'Nuts. I didn't tell her about my agreement with Ericah. Not that I need to. Still, I've got a lot of pent up energy from that fight, and she seemed more than willing. This will be an interesting experience.'_

"Let's go home."

"Yes, my lord!" Tamura said happily.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, Treasury, 4-hours later...**

In a large darkened room there were numerous and massive cylindrical, crystalline tubes that seemed to stretch up into a ceiling that could not been seen due to its massive height. These tubes had stacks upon stacks of YGGDRASIL gold coins within them that illuminated the space with a gold radiance despite its low lighting.

In an isolated corner of this area that could not be readily seen, were the guardians Walter Bernard Montgomery, Tamura Oakenfold, and Charon Zobach who seemed to be having a conversation that produced no sound. This made it readily apparent that magic was in place to prevent eavesdropping. Inside the area of effect (AOE) of the spell Walter spoke in his usual calm and dignified manner.

"I see... As expected of Lord Gabriel."

"Indeed. My creator and master is truly a god amongst men to have accomplished such a feat." Charon said as jets of air are expelled from his helm.

"Where is our lord now?" Walter asked.

"Oh, he is in his quarters with Ericah Sabine. He also left expressed orders not to be disturbed until the morn." Tamura said with a blushing face.

Walter had his eyes closed as he had a small smirk on his face. Then his attention was brought back by Charon speaking in a neutral tone of voice.

"So then, I take it that despite recent events the agreement remains in place?"

Walter and Tamura had stern and serious expressions on their faces as they looked at each other for a brief moment, and then back to Charon. Tamura would then be the one to speak.

"Yes, that is correct, but we must be careful. I recently learned that our lord is quite adept at detecting falsehood. One wrong word spoken out of turn and we'll have no choice but to reveal it to our master."

"Then we must be careful in that case." Walter replies as he pushes up his glasses.

"As expected of our master and my creator. A keen mind with bountiful strength." Charon says with a hint of pride in his distorted voice.

Before he finished his sentence, Tamura had a look of discomfort and worry as she stared off into space. Walter noticed this and placed his left hand on her right shoulder to comfort her as he spoke.

"How are you doing my dear?" He said softly as she sighed before speaking.

"I don't know, Walter. I know that we must follow Lady Alisha's directive to watch over and protect Lord Gabriel, but hiding this from him feels wrong." She said in a sad tone.

"It cannot be helped, my dear. We all agreed that this was the best way to protect our master, and to ensure the continued well-being of the Keep." Walter said plainly.

"Hm. As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with Tamura." Charon said with a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"Oh? Will go against Lady Alisha's last wishes?" Walter said with a deathly glare as he spoke in ominous and cold tones.

"No. Just be aware that if Lord Gabriel asks me directly about it, then I will not hold back this information." Charon said in an unmoved voice.

Walter relaxed his posture at Charon's response as he spoke.

"That's fine then. And you Tamura? In this we must be in agreement."

Tamura narrowed her vision as she then spoke in a willful voice of determination and resolve.

"Yes. We are still in agreement. To protect Lord Gabriel and to protect Dracon's Keep, he must never know that there is a way for him to return to his world."

They all nod in unison before then disappearing in flashes of blue light.

* * *

 ***A/N: A very special thanks to knaka148 for use of his ideas and his references, which includes the World Class Item, and the "ACE" references! He does good work so check them out when you can spare the time. Now, review replies!***

 **UndeadLord22-10/31/17** **: LOL! Oddly specific but don't worry. You'll be surprised. ;)**

 **RyuujiVantek-10/31/17** **: LOL! My friend, that question has been answered thrice in author notes, and review responses. But since I am a nice guy (according to some) I will answer this question once more only. ;) Ainz hasn't shown up yet, but will in the future. Just be patient. It'll happen eventually. ^_^**

 **pta917-11/01/17** **: That is the mystery for the ages, isn't? Perhaps the finger cracking is just the universal sign to get away from someone. :P Glad you liked the chapter, and yes, the end in the cell was a tad awkward for all involved. ^_^**

 **Totong-11/01/17** **: Oh, yeah. She did, and yes he does, as you saw in this chapter. Excelsior!**

 **ArchAngel319-11/01/17** **: You are very welcome my friend. :) And thank you. I do have some fun for the most part. This fanfic project has always been a labor of love for me.**

 **Fanboy 316-11/01/17** **: Hah. As you saw, he knew her secret before he even stepped foot into battle. And I can only hope that everyone enjoyed reading the battle. As for the incubus NPC, I agree that one isn't used that often which is why I did it. ;) Indeed, more surprises are in store and I hope to keep everyone on the edge of their seats. :)**

 **Varcisis-11/10/17** **: LOL! Actually, I couldn't agree more with everything you just said my friend. ;) And you are welcome. ^_^**

 **levelgap-11/14/17** **: Heh. Yeah. She was doomed from the word, "GO". And I am happy that the character of Gabriel continues to entertain you, as well as the interactions. Oh, and more detailed info of NPCs will be provided as a later date. :)**


	8. Chapter 8-Aftermaths & Insights

**Chapter 8-Aftermaths & Insights**

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Nurses' Dormitory Area  
-15 Min. After Gabriel's Departure For Battle-**

Footsteps echoed in the halls made of polished marble and support pillars of smoothed out blue crystal, while nurses of various races were coming from and going to their assigned shifts. These were the connecting passageways that lead from the Keep's Sanctuary of Ianuaria, to the dormitories that housed the nurses that supported and staffed it.

The hour was getting late, and the overhead magical light sources dimmed to indicate this as a result. It was an automatic feature that their creators had designed since the light of day could not reach that far into the Keep. It served as an easy method to denote the stages of the day, showing if it was dawn, morning, afternoon, dusk, and the evening. Since all was normal, the atmosphere was a relaxing one.

Entering this hallway was the lvl-5 human nurse, Addison-Rei, who wore a pensive look on her face as she walked forward at a steady pace with her hands behind her back. She tapped her fingers nervously and had an annoyed expression on her face as she thought to herself.

 _'Am I really going to do this? Get a grip Addison-Rei. You went through the effort to trouble Lord Gabriel with this, and in his warmth and kindness he gave you the answer. Ugh. Maybe Mimi's bad habits are rubbing off on me...'_

The nurse is brought out of her thoughts as she then notices the lvl-2 homunculus nurse Mina approaching from the opposite end of the hall. As she walked, Addison-Rei took a deep breath to relax herself and then her facial expression went back to her normal composed and confident look.

Although Mina was supposed to look after Addison-Rei for the day, they parted ways at her insistence since she was going to visit their master. Given Mina's usual sensitive, nervous, and malleable nature, it was easy to convince her that it would be fine since she would be in their master's presence.

Once they were within a few feet of each other, she then struck up a conversation with a wave and a smile.

"Hey, Mimi.~ What are you up to?"

"Oh. H-Hello, Addy!~ My shift is over so I was going to go to the commissary to get a bite to eat. You?"

"Looking for you actually. Now that things have calmed down around here, it's about time I gave you an answer to that 'request' of yours." She said with a mischievous grin.

Since they were hardly alone in the hall, with random nurses walking back and forth, she was intentionally vague, but Mina knew exactly what she was referring to. Her face washed over in a shade of scarlet as her head lowered in what could well be described as embarrassment. This reaction brought a smile to Addison-Rei's face, but then she had a look of surprise as Mina composed herself as she lifted her head to speak.

"I-I'm kinda embarrassed that you brought that up Addy, but you don't have to worry about it anymore." Mina said with a friendly smile.

"... Eh?" Addison-Rei said with a dumbfounded expression after briefly pausing.

"He he. I was a bit out of sorts and selfish then, and I shouldn't have sprung that on you like that. It wasn't fair or proper of me at all. I'm just glad I could honestly express myself for once. T-That was enough so you don't have to worry about it anymore." Mina said as she awkwardly rubbed the back of her head with her left hand.

Addison-Rei stared blankly in shock trying to grasp Mina's sudden reversal from before.

"Really, I'm fine now so let's just pretend that conversation never happened. Okay?~" Mina said as she smiled.

Once again, her friend and roommate had no reply as she continued to stare on in shock. It was as if her thoughts had been thrown into complete disarray by the sudden change of situation. Her mouth moved a few times as if she were trying to form words, but nothing came out.

Mina failed to noticed this since she was trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible, and moved to walk past her friend as she spoke.

"Well, I-I'll see you later, Addy.~"

Again, there was no reply as the nurse Addison-Rei found that her thoughts had been thrown into chaos. In the beginning, she was going to comply with her friend's earnest request to be her "first", even though she did not particularly want to. This was because she was genuinely impressed with how Mina had finally found the courage to speak her mind, be open with her feelings, and so as to not hurt said feelings.

The whole situation made her unsure of what to do, and so she sought out her master and Lord of Dracon's Keep. That was the point that rattled her brain. She went so far to trouble her master, who had only just recovered from a traumatic ordeal, only for it to have been made moot and pointless. She gritted her teeth as she felt an intense anger born of embarrassment, wounded pride, and frustration at her friend's step backwards from progress made.

Addison-Rei lifted her head and started to pull at her own hair as she lets out a shout of anger.

"GEEEAAAAAH!"

"HIIIEEEE!" Mina exclaims as she jumps in surprise and turns around from her friend's outburst.

This also gains the attention of about ten other nurses in the hallway as all of their eyes now settle on Addison-Rei, as she turns around and glares at Mina with gritted teeth and ragged breath before she speaks with her ire on full display.

"THAT'S IT! YOU WENT AND PISSED ME OFF!"

"EH?! Addy?! What are yo..."

"QUIET! YOU'RE COMING WITH ME! NOW!"

Mina was so flustered that she doesn't even have a chance to respond as Addison-Rei grabs the back of her nurse outfit's collar with her right hand, and literally starts dragging her away. She struggled in vain as she tries to speak.

"Ack! Addy! It's choking...!"

"GOOD!" Addison-Rei simply replies as she ignores Mina's pleas and flailing.

They arrive at their dormitory four doors down. Addison-Rei opens it with her left hand, as she throws Mina in with her right, and loudly slams the door behind her. Back in the hallway, stood a 5 ½ foot (167.64cm), 95 lb (43.1kg) lvl-5 elven nurse. She had lavender hair, tied in a single braid that went down to the middle of her back, and two shining gold eyes, which stared on in bewilderment at the recent scene.

She was approached from behind by a succubus nurse of similar height and weight with tanned skin, a pair of smooth vanilla horns, black mid-length hair, and sky-blue eyes. She spoke with a soft voice that was both relaxing and alluring as she asked a question.

"Say, Kalila? Any idea what that was all about?~"

"Hm? No idea Sakimi. But knowing Addison-Rei's temperament, it's probably Mina's fault.~" Kalila replied with a grin.

"He he he. I don't doubt it." The succubus said with a chuckle.

Back in the dormitory of the two aforementioned nurses, Mina was stumbling back as she tripped and fell on Addison-Rei's bed, who then slammed and locked the door behind her. Looking on with a frightened expression, the homunculus nurse saw that her friend approached her with eyes akin to a hawk that had zeroed in on its prey. She spoke with a steely voice laced with annoyance.

"You frustrate me to no end Mina..."

This unsettled the homunculus nurse as she thought to herself.

 _'Oh, no. S-She only calls me by name when she's serious, or in a bad mood. Or both!'_

The young Mina was mentally crying as she looked upon Addison-Rei, who still had on a serious and stern expression. She then reached up, took off her nurses cap, and then threw it in a random direction. Addison-Rei then undid her braid and shook her head vigorously so as to loosen and unravel her shining white hair that went down to the middle of her back.

With her feet she then proceeded to remove each of her shoes, and then kicked each of them in random directions. All the while, she kept her eyes locked on Mina, who was quivering in worry and uncertainty.

Then Mina's eyes widened as Addison-Rei unbuttoned and removed her nurse's attire, revealing her lack of bra and panties. Wearing only her white leggings, she then stood completely bare before Mina. Addison-Rei placed her right hand on her hip with her left hanging by her side in a sultry pose, as she then sighs tiredly, and smiled warmly as she then spoke in a fatigued but calm tone of voice.

"You know, my creator had a phrase for people like you. He called them, 'wishy-washy'. He often said how much he hated people like that, and spoke of how frustrating they could be. Now I get it. Mimi, you are sooo wishy-washy that it drives me crazy, and not in a good way."

Mina stared blankly at her friend as she admired her naked figure with mouth slightly agape. Addison-Rei notices this and chuckles as she then pounces on top of Mina, pinning her to her back on the bed. She gazes up at Addison-Rei, whom was smiling down on her warmly. All of her previous hostility and frustration was gone as if it were an illusion. She then speaks in a low, calm, and comforting tone of voice.

"Mimi, do you want this?~"

Mina was at a loss for words. She could not deny it as her breathing became shallow and erratic. Her heart raced with such intensity and speed that it felt as if it would burst from her chest. The scent of her friend wafted through the air and into her lungs with every breath her took. They were only a mere 6 inches (15.24cm) apart, and it took all she had not to reach out and embrace her. Mina then nervously spoke.

"A-Addy. I... I do want this, b-but not if it ruins our friendship. I... I could not bare that." She said as a few tears slid out from her eyes.

Addison-Rei saw this and simply smiled as she took her left hand and wiped those tears away. She then slowly pressed her body into Mina's as she embraced her, with her face now mere millimeters away from Mina's. She then spoke softly with a purr to her voice.

"Silly girl.~ Is that why you tried to back out? Don't worry. We'll still be friends. We'll just be friends with a few extra benefits.~"

For a moment, Mina was completely shocked. She could not completely grasp the words which came out of her friend's mouth. However, she slowly relented and returned the embrace as understanding finally seeped into her consciousness. Heat built up in the core of her body as she smiled, and felt all worry leave her as she spoke in a voice filled with relief and joy.

"Oh, Addy. I... I... *HUMF!*"

Her words were cut short as Addison-Rei pressed her lips into Mina's. Their thin layers of lip-gloss melted into one as their combined body heat formed beads of sweat on their foreheads. Mina's hands feverishly traveled along the lengths of her friend's smooth body as their mouths stayed connected. After this had continued for about ten minutes their wet mouths parted as they both breathed and panted heavily.

Addison-Rei had a triumphant smirk as she then spoke in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"So.~ Have anything else to say?"

Mina's face was glossed over in expressions of happiness and arousal as she panted and gently shook her head.

"Hmm.~ Good. Then allow me to treat you to all the things Lord Gabriel taught me on what you can do with a woman's body.~" She said in a sultry manner as she then leaned back down.

She slowly undid Mina's nurse's outfit and smiled as she pulled it apart to reveal her body that was also devoid of any undergarments.

"Sooo.~ You weren't wearing anything underneath either? How lewd.~"

Mina did not reply as she blushed with a shade of scarlet and Addison-Rei smiled with pride at her friend's boldness. She leaned forward, locking lips once again and pressed her bare skin onto hers.

For the next two hours, no words were spoken as their room filled with heat and the sounds of pleasure. Perhaps it was fate that their room was almost soundproof, as Mina's multiple and thunderous climaxes would have drawn a great deal of attention. They would then collapse from exhaustion in each other's arms, completely and blissfully unaware of what had taken place in the outside world, as they then slipped into dreams.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Gabriel's Bedchamber  
-Morning After Battle with Bwynleah-**

The room was cool and crisp as nary a sound could be heard. The lighting was both warm and dim as it barely showed the marvel of architecture in the area. The room had intricate designs etched with gold and sliver inlay, as pillars of smoothed out blue crystal supported a room made of blue marble. All of the furniture from chairs, desks, dressers, and the nearby bed were luxurious and made of polished oak from YGGDRASIL that was even more sturdy than hardened stone.

Laying on top of the bed was a naked Gabriel, who still possessed scars across 70% of his body from his battle with Bwynleah. He had his right hand behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. Then a slight purring noise could be heard from his chest. The scene slowly came into view as the lighting became slightly brighter with the change of the hour, and the form of an equally undressed Ericah Sabine came into view.

In her sleep she had a contented expression on her face as it become visible. She held onto Gabriel with both arms and her left leg wrapped around him as if he were a living body pillow, while her tail occasionally flapped up and down. Gabriel's left hand was gently caressing the back of her head as he continued to stare blankly at the ceiling in thought.

 _'Well... last night was certainly... interesting. I have to admit that my brief time in this new world has seen many firsts. First time experiencing a "Florence Nightingale effect" situation, first time taking down the wielder of a World Class Item solo, and the first time I have bedded two different albino women within the span of a few days. This feline beastwoman especially. She was beyond happy with her compensation, although her enthusiasm couldn't carry her past the fifth go-around...'_

His thoughts trail off as Ericah Sabine stirred slightly with a contented moan before her eyes started to slowly flutter open. She let out a large yawn that made it look as if she had come out of hibernation. She briefly looked at Gabriel and smiled as she laid her head back down upon his scarred but very chiseled chest, and spoke in a weak but flighty tone of voice.

"Hmm. Mornin'.~"

"Hmph. Good morning. I trust you slept well."

"Heh. You' funny. Ya' plowed me good, Gabriel. Ya' made me feel like a virgin again, and I loved it.~" She said as she purred in contentment.

"Well, I aimed to please."

"He he he. You said aimed.~" Ericah said with a grin.

Gabriel rolled his eyes at the pun, but then had a brief smirk from the playful banter as he mocked smacked Ericah behind her head as he spoke calmly and warmly.

"That's enough of that, you promiscuous feline. It's morning and you'll soon need to clean up and gather your strength to go to your people. I've already ordered some breakfast to be delivered to us."

"Aaaw.~ *yawns* Yer no fun now."

"Hm. Sorry about that, but given recent events you'll be plenty busy. You'll have to look after your people, and I must do the same."

Ericah did not say anything in response. Instead she held Gabriel in her grip even tighter, rubbing her face lovingly on his chest, and closed her eyes so hard that it forced tears to form. Then is a low, serious tone of voice filled with genuine admiration and gratitude she spoke.

"Thank you, Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon. I... I can't thank ya' enough. M' home is now free 'cause of you. I could spend tha' rest of my life thankin' ya' and it still wouldn't be enough."

Gabriel smiled warmly at this as he gazed upon her and caressed her head, knowing full well what she meant, and the true intent behind her recent words and actions. He then gently kissed her on the forehead as he spoke.

"Don't worry about it. You are very welcome, Ericah Sabine. Now then, shall we clean up before our breakfast arrives?"

"Um, hmm." Ericah mutters as she slowly relents her tightened grip.

Gabriel then caresses her face, which seemed to immediately relax her. She then kisses his hand as they both slowly rise from the opposite sides of the bed. Gabriel was able to do so almost immediately and stretch his scarred, naked muscular form with a few grunts and a single yawn.

Ericah seemed to have difficulty doing as much as she wobbled on her feet, clearly showing the effect their tryst had on her. Still, as a proud and stubborn warrior beastwoman, she persisted and reached a point to where she could walk semi-normally as she then noticed Gabriel slowly walking towards a set of double in the opposite wall that led to the bathroom.

As she approached from behind, she could not help but admire his battle-scarred physique. It radiated with a strength and power that made her quiver at the knees as she recalled the intense evening they had. She always had multiple men at once during her trysts because none had the stamina and staying power she had. Not only did Gabriel exceed her wildest expectations, but she found herself completely spent by his raw energy and intensity. It was a completely new experience for her.

Ericah grinned as she embraced Gabriel from behind, with her generous bosom pressing against his back. Unlike most of the humanoid men she had, their height difference was not that pronounced, with Gabriel being 6 ½ ft (198.12cm), and Ericah herself being 6ft 11in (210.8cm). She then spoke in a friendly tone of voice as her hands lovingly wandered all over his body.

"Hmm. I neva' knew how attractive a man with scars could be till last night. It makes ya' look lik'a wild beast.~"

"Humph. An ironic statement coming from you." Gabriel says with a slight smirk.

"He he. Ya' think so?" Ericah says with her hands traveling ever downwards.

Her expression then becomes that of shock and surprise as she thinks to herself, with her hands having reached his manhood.

 _'BY tha' dragons! How much ENERGY can this man have? It scares me. I kinda' find that excitin'!'_

She then has a wide grin on her face as she speaks up while kissing his neck.

"Ya' know, we could shower together.~"

At this comment Gabriel sighs tiredly and then chuckles before replying with a raised eyebrow.

"Didn't get your fill last night?"

"Oh, I got my fill, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy what lil' time we have left together.~"

"Is that so? Well, follow me then. The shower should have more than enough room for us both." Gabriel said nonchalantly as he took the lead.

"Yay!~" Ericah replied in an energetic fashion.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Gabriel's Study  
-2 ½ Hours Later-**

Gabriel sat at his desk with a contemplative expression on his face as he was casually smoking his third cigarette. As he flicked it in a nearby ashtray, he had allowed himself a quiet moment to reflect on all that had happened in the last few hours, after he had finished his "affairs" with Ericah Sabine, with a red healing potion or two.

Their first order of business was to go to the 5th-Floor, "Crystal Gardens", where all of the Royal Air Guard had relocated with their gear, their drakes, and the five remaining dragons. To say that they were in awe of their surroundings would have been a mild understatement.

There were serene fields of grass, flowers, and beautiful crystal formations jutting out of the ground, refracting the rays of the artificial morning sunlight into quite a few beautiful rainbows of color around them. Certain sections of the floor were also separated by lush green forests. Being three times larger than the typical floor, it had more than enough room to accommodate them.

The picturesque beauty of the floor could melt the heart as kaleidoscopes of shifting colors from the nearby crystal formations had entranced them all. In the distance, silver knights could be seen patrolling in tight and well disciplined formations, with small buildings, towers, and forts dotted about the fields made of smoothed out, polished granite. They were well fooled into thinking they were outside, until they were told otherwise, which only served to heighten their confusion and awe.

When Gabriel arrived with Ericah Sabine in tow, nearly every single soul present had kneeled to him in reverence, if not borderline worship. He remained calm, but was not the least bit comfortable with their actions. After being informed that Gabriel had killed Bwynleah, and that this "Godly Realm" was partially a product of his efforts by the local NPCs whom welcomed them, they started to see him in a divine light.

Gabriel was quick to quash such notions, and simply told them that he had access to powers, abilities, and resources that were of a higher quality than they did. Although his denials to godhood earned a great deal of respect and admiration from all present, it still left him feeling uncomfortable with the whole situation. He was certain it would cause problems in the future, and made it a point to inform everyone present of his talks with their newly restored king, Rahkar Ailouros.

They were informed that they were now hereby sworn to secrecy about everything they had seen and experienced, to which an uncharacteristically serious Ericah Sabine supported. With a menacing growl, she threatened everyone present with torn throats if so much as a word of this incident was whispered to anyone. That seemed to have the desired effect as everyone, dragons included, were shaken by the proclamation.

Gabriel could only smile as he understood her intentions. She was beyond grateful to him for all he had done, and resolved to not cause him any troubles if she could help it. Afterward, he spoke with the dragons to the side. They were shaken to be in his presence at first, something to which he understood. Still, the recent news of the Yogg's death, and the support of Ericah, Relina, and Gatoh, had put them more at ease.

Strangely, Gabriel found that the females of the group, Dah'gapha, Yrsae'diosah, and Tol'leah were somewhat taken with him, to which Ericah gave mischievous grins and some approving nods. Gabriel also felt something similar, and did not fully understand it at first. That was until he remembered a few important, key details.

He recently learned he was now one with his armor. He recalled that the lore had set it as being created from the powers and remains of the ancient "Dragon of the Emerald Flame". He theorized that due to this, he had somehow taken on more dragonic traits, even though he was still human. It did a great deal to explain the changes he noticed to his moods, appetite, libido, and most importantly, a new-found ability to sense those of dragonic blood, which included the drakes and dragons present.

He recalled that YGGDRASIL players had access to a passive ability that was quite similar, and normally is reserved to dragonkin races, but due to his unique circumstances, he now had it. He also found that he could sense the moods and feelings of other dragonkin near him. The empathic ability reminded him of his bond with Alisha, and he quickly set those feelings aside before they could consume him.

After a bit of small talk to put them at ease, he informed them all of the treachery of their general and older brother, Ohrly'ress Ailouros. He was impressed by how quickly and easily they took to the news. It seemed that like their father, they also had certain doubts and suspicions about him, so it came as no surprise.

What did surprise them was the fact that not only was their sister Dah'gapha given his armor, but similar sets had been created for them all by Gabriel's blacksmiths. He tried to explain it away as an apology for their meeting, but soon found himself showered with numerous awed words of thanks and more undercurrents of reverence.

After they had all eaten and were rested, Gabriel escorted them to the suface where he had a teary, heartfelt goodbye with Relina Dahlek and her husband, Gatoh. As they both embraced him, he had to admit that it brought a few tears to his eyes as well. He recalled the conversation they had before their departure.

"My Lord Dracon... *sobs* Thank you. Thank you for everything. I... I can't find the words..." Relina said as she freely let her tears fall, emotion overcoming her.

Her husband, rock, and anchor, Gatoh took her in his arms whilst silently letting his own tears flow. He then spoke without letting his voice waver in the slightest.

"Lord Dracon. You have done something we could have only dreamed. If you will permit it, we would very much like to name our second son after you." Gatoh said with a tear filled smile. His wife lifted up her head with an approving smile and nod in response.

Gabriel remembered how stunned he was at first. Never in his long life had anyone asked such a thing from him. He almost said no, but smiled as he changed his mind at the last second and replied.

"Gatoh Dahlek. Relina Dahlek. You do not need my permission. I would be honored if you so decided to name your next son after me." Gabriel said with a smile and a bow.

For a moment they were taken aback by the gesture, but then realized that it was only natural for the man who had delivered their country from evil. Just as they were about to turn and leave after hearing their friend and commander Ericah call out to them, the wife Relina had a moment of curiosity and turned to face Gabriel once again to speak.

"If I may Lord Dracon, the name 'Gabriel' is not known to us. By chance, does it have some sort of meaning where you are from?" Relina said bright eyed, having finally calmed down.

For a brief moment, Gabriel hesitated a reply as he lowered his head with a faint smirk and a brief chuckle. Then he seemed to reach a decision and spoke in a soft voice as he smiled in an amused fashion.

"Where I come from the name 'Gabriel' means, 'God is my strength'. If you recall, I laid no claims to divinity, so make of that what you will."

The eyes of the husband and wife duo widened at his reply, as understanding then dawned on them. For whatever reason, the man before them seemed to shine even brighter as they then took a bow filled with an even greater reverence and respect. Perhaps it was the years they had spent to together, or it was their most recent experiences, or both, but they each seemed to have the same thought...

 _'No other name could be more fitting for our son...'_

They bid each other farewell and Gabriel watched as they took to the skies and went back to a home now freed from the shadows of tyranny and darkness.

As Gabriel completed his recollections, he found that he had finished his ninth cigarette. He briefly smirked before speaking ironically.

"I seem to be turning into a bit of a smoker now..."

With that brief comment he snapped his fingers in the direction of the ashtray, and a small green glowing ember was flung into it, which ignited the contents in an emerald flame. Gabriel stared blankly at the sight. As the light of the flames danced in his eyes, a few thoughts crossed his mind.

 _'I have an idea of what you are now. You're another soul inside of me. But this is brand new territory for me to explore. How do I commune with you again...?'_

His train of thought was interrupted by a few knocks to his study's door. With wave of his hand he extinguishes the green flames, stands up from his desk, and walks in front of it as he speaks.

"You may enter."

Soon after, the NPCs Walter and Tamura entered with a respectful bow at the waist. They then stepped forward and presented themselves to their master.

"Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon. You have sent for us, sir?" Walter says for them both.

"Hm. That's correct. I summoned you here because I am in need of your opinions on a matter that has been troubling me since the end of yesterday's battle." Gabriel replied as he spoke in an authoritative manner with arms folded.

Both of the NPCs had confused looks on their faces as they glanced at each other, and then back to their master as Tamura then spoke for them.

"My lord, forgive me if my words bring offense, but surely our opinions are not needed for one who single-handedly defeated the wielder of a World Class Item." Tamura says with a bit of hesitation in her voice.

"Tamura, you give yourselves too little credit. During the time that I was incapacitated, you, Walter, Charon, and Althia made excellent judgement calls, and kept me and the Keep safe and functional. No matter my position, I would be a fool not to recognize that, and to not seek out the council of my talented and faithful aids." Gabriel says with a small, but warm smile on his face.

The reaction from the two NPCs was immediate as they both seemed on the verge of tears, and took a bow as they spoke in unison.

"We are unworthy of such praise, my lord."

"Yes, you are worthy. And from now on you will refrain from speaking of yourselves in such a fashion. It's tiring and I haven't the patience for it." Gabriel says sternly.

His proclamation startled them for a moment as they glanced at each other. For a brief moment they seemed to have a silent, wordless conversation with themselves, and then stood straight up as Walter spoke for them both once again.

"As you wish, sir. We shall follow your wishes. Now, how may we help you?"

"Yes. It's about the frost dragon we still have in our custody, Ohrly'ress Ailouros. As you are aware, his father stripped him of his citizenship and disowned him. Due to this he left his fate in my hands. I have been debating on an appropriate punishment for the number and severity of his crimes, and right now I consider death to be too quick and simple for him. However, I'm still not considering torture as a viable punishment either. So tell me, what are your thoughts on the matter?"

The instant that Gabriel posed his query, both the NPCs sank into thought. Their facial expressions went through a series of changes as they considered the quandary before them. Indeed, to construct a punishment worthy of Ohrly'ress' crimes without resorting to torture would be a challenge, and for a moment even two of the top four minds in Dracon's Keep were at a loss on how to proceed.

After approximately six minutes of considerations, Tamura's face lit up, and a devilish grin slowly spread across her lips as she addressed her master.

"My lord, I may have the answer you seek, and if I may be so bold, it may harken to Lady Alisha's appreciation for, 'poetic justice'." Tamura said in cool and malicious tones as she maintained a disturbing grin.

Gabriel perked an eyebrow at this as he spoke.

"Is that so? Then tell me what you have in mind."

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 2nd-Floor, Holding Cells**

A clicking sound is heard as the doors to the holding cell of the frost dragon Ohrly'ress Ailouros slowly opened. Having already sensed an approaching presence, the dragon was already wide awake to receive his visitors. As he expected, in stepped Gabriel and his two aids from before.

As Gabriel approached Ohrly'ress, his expression was both stern and blank as he looked upon the bound frost dragon. He then stopped less than 2 meters from the dragon's snout, with Walter and Tamura still at his sides. At first Gabriel did not say anything as he gazed upon Ohrly'ress with eyes filled with contempt, and for a moment the frost dragon shook with fear and expectation. Then Gabriel spoke in deep, powerful tones.

"I have news for you, traitorous scum. Bwynleah is dead, and your father is now free."

Ohrly'ress instantly felt like a thunderbolt had pierced his spine. He could not believe the words that had been uttered from Gabriel's mouth. He had seen Bwynleah's power and her trump card first hand, but as he gazed into Gabriel's eyes he could not deny the truth in his words. The dragon then resigned himself with a long sigh that chilled the surrounding air as he spoke in low, defeated tones.

"So, oh mighty one. What shall become of me? I imagine my father will want my head on a pike now."

For a brief instant Gabriel flared with anger at the dragon's thoughtless comment, that clearly showed that the fool truly knew nothing of his own father. However, after a few breaths he calmed himself, and replied to the dragon's query in cool, menacing tones.

"You're a triple damned idiot, Ohrly'ress. He wanted nothing of the sort. He was beyond disappointed in you, and so his first act as the restored King of Land of the Drake Riders, was to strip you of your citizenship, and disown you. Thus, he left your fate to my discretions."

The dragon felt as if his head was spinning from Gabriel's reply, and although it should not have been possible, he felt a cold chill go down his back as the three in front of him stared him down. Then a thought crossed his mind as he meekly grinned.

 _'So this is what it feels like to be condemned. Heh. At least death will release me from anymore humiliation...'_

As if in reply to those thoughts Gabriel spoke up, still with menacing tones, but also with a matching glare that seemed to weight down on him.

"No, you won't be dying today, or even in the short term. You have several debts that need to be paid before you'll be granted the release of death."

Ohrly'ress could not even speak as he shuddered at the proclamation, not knowing where it was leading to.

"By our estimates, over 60,000 children of various races were butchered and used for raw resources by that monstrous bitch you helped bring to power. As such, their fate was partially your doing. Thus, you shall share a similar fate to your victims."

"W-What are you saying, human?! What are you going to do to me?!" The dragon shouted in fear and panic as he struggled in vain against his restraints.

Once again, Gabriel's tone was cold and menacing as he replied.

"Did you know that a dragon's body is an absolute gold mine for raw resources? Your blood can be processed and refined for recovery potions that heal wounds and restores stamina, your skin can be used for the creation of high level spell-scrolls, your scales and your bones in the creation and repair of armor and weapons, and of course your flesh can feed the hungry. There is almost no limit to your body's utility..."

"RAAAAAOOOOORR!"

The dragon thrashed and roared as his mind snapped at everything Gabriel had implied in their short time speaking. Gabriel was unmoved by the display, showing no signs of worry.

"Tamura..."

She simply smiled at her master's call and tapped the end of her silver staff twice on the ground. As soon as she did a current of lightning erupted from Ohrly'ress' chains that cowed him into submission in just a few seconds. The dragon gasped and huffed as he tried to calm down. Then Gabriel stepped forward and kneeled down to look Ohrly'ress directly in the eye as he spoke.

"This shall be your punishment, fool of a dragon. For the next 60,000 years you will live out your days having your body harvested, healed, and then harvested again and again. Only when that time is up, will you be granted death. And just so I am clear, you will be kept unconscious throughout this process. If my aid here had her way, you would have been forcibly kept awake for the duration, but luckily for you, I'm not one to encourage such things." Gabriel said in empty tones as he continued to stare the dragon down.

"No. Nooo! You can't do this to me! You can't..."

Ohrly'ress ravings were cut short when Gabriel's hand came crashing down on his snout, forcibly silencing him.

"From the moment you betrayed your kin to Bwynleah, you lost all rights to an opinion. Where I'm from, we call this "poetic justice", and you have earned every bit of it. So for once in your misbegotten life, take some measure of responsibility for your actions, and accept your punishment without complaint. And know this as you fall into dreams for the next sixty millennia: everything you ever did was a mistake."

Gabriel stood up as he finished speaking, and turned to leave Ohrly'ress to his fate. Just as he was about to curse Gabriel's name, he felt his consciousness fading. He looked upon Tamura, whose right hand was directed towards him with bright, rotating yellow colored magic circles and knew what was happening. He then formed the last coherent thought he will ever have for the next 60,000 years.

 _'What did I do wrong?! Tell me... what did I... '_

With that, the dragon Ohrly'ress fell asleep, with teams of various different types of NPCs teleporting in as Walter, Tamura, and Gabriel exited the holding cell. They then were readying the unconscious frost dragon to be transferred to a place where he shall be picked apart like those he also had condemned.

Outside the cell, the trio of Gabriel, Walter, and Tamura walked down the echoing hall in silence for a few minutes. Without turning to face the NPCs, Gabriel speaks in an official and commanding tone of voice.

"Walter, Tamura. Am I correct in assuming that the vast majority of Dracon's Keep is still unaware of Alisha's passing?"

Both of the named NPCs were caught completely off-guard by the question. They had expected their master to address the recent events with Ohrly'ress, but soon realized that the question posed by their lord was of greater importance. Walter then pushed up his glasses as he replied.

"You would be correct, sir. We felt that informing everyone of Lady Alisha's passing would have done more harm than good without your presence. As it stands, only the Top Four, as well as a select few others are aware of it." Walter says calmly.

Gabriel then stops walking as he continues to look forward with a steely gaze. Then he speaks with a stern tone of voice filled with resolve.

"Have all the floor guardians gather in my study one hour from now. The time has come for them, and the rest of the Keep to be informed of recent events. Including Bwynleah, and Alisha's passing."

"By your command, Lord Gabriel." They both said in unison with a bow, even though the facial expressions they wore were those of uncertainty and worry.

Gabriel then used his guild ring to disappear from their view. A few minutes after his departure, Tamura sighed in resignation before speaking in a hesitant tone of voice.

"Lord Gabriel really does plan on going ahead with this..."

"That is the logical assumption, my dear." Walter says as he looks to Tamura in concern.

Her head was lowered with hints of apprehension on her face. Walter then spoke whilst putting his right hand on her left shoulder in a gesture of comfort.

"I can understand why you feel ill-at-ease over it. I feel much of the same, but please consider how our master must feel, my dear. I highly doubt that he wishes to do this, but he also recognizes that it must be done. Holding onto the secret of her passing for longer than necessary creates the potential for further problems. Best to be done with it now, so that he can begin to move on, as our lady wished."

Placing her right hand on Walter's, she then gave a knowing nod in acknowledgement before speaking in a firm tone of voice.

"You're right, Walter. It must be done. And we shall be there for our lord when he does."

Walter smiles as he then speaks in a friendly tone of voice.

"That's the spirit. Now then, let us get going. Gathering all the floor guardians for this meeting will be a first after all."

"He he. Indeed Walter. It will be interesting." Tamura replied with a chuckle.

They then both vanish from view in flashes of blue light to carry out their task.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Gabriel's Study  
-45 Minutes Later-**

Gabriel was sitting calmly at the head of the conference table with a lit cigarette in his right hand as he waited for the Keep's guardians to start trickling in. He suspected that given the martial backgrounds of their creators, they would start to appear before the actual deadline he gave. His suspicions were proven correct as he heard a knocking sound on the entrance to his study.

"Enter." He said in response.

True to form, the instant he gave his approval to enter the double doors gently opened revealing Tamura and Walter who both took a bow. Pushing up his glasses, Walter would then speak for them.

"My lord, the first of the guardians have arrived."

"Hm. That's fine Walter. Have the doors remain open and allow them to enter as they arrive." Gabriel replied calmly.

Both of the NPCs seemed to be taken aback by the order and looked at each other in confusion before Tamura would then speak.

"My lord, are you certain you wish for them to enter in such a manner?"

Gabriel held back an urge to sigh, feeling a growing weariness from the ever increasing formalities that tested his patience. However, he remained calm as he replied with an answer he felt would be understandable.

"It's fine Tamura. The floor guardians are an essential part of the management and the security of the Keep. Given recent events, and what shall follow this meeting, I will allow it. Now send them in as they arrive."

Both of them bowed in unison as they replied in the affirmative. Walter would then exit to inform the guards and the first arriving guardians of the slight change in procedure while Tamura ensured that the doors would remain open.

As they did this, Gabriel found himself immersed in thought.

 _'From what little I have seen, the NPCs have taken up some of the personality traits of their creators, as well as the traits written for them in their settings. I can't help but to admit that I find myself curious. Still, I'll need to be careful in how I use them from here on in. Given the strength levels we have learned, our very presence could have negative effects on the balance of this world. Mistakes of any kind can't be tolerated. Just one wrong move, and the consequences would be dire...'_

As his cigarette went out during his train of thought, Gabriel flicked the remains in the air as it burned into nothing in an emerald flame. He then smoothly replaced it with another one as he lit it with his own flame and continued his inner thoughts.

 _'I'll jump off that bridge when I come to it. For now, I should focus on the floor guardians themselves. Thanks to a sizable investment in cash shop items and creator tools to expand, we managed to create ten level-100 NPCs. Only other bases that could say the same was Nazarick and a few others. The 1st-floor doesn't have a guardian, but each of the following floors do, with the 5th and 8th-floors having two due to their size and importance. Also, all of the floor guardians should be equipped with Divine Class gear. To my knowledge, ours was the only guild that could make that claim. It was a royal pain in the ass to make that happen, but Alisha really made a push for us to get there...'_

Gabriel's thoughts trail off as Walter started to announce the arrival of each guardian as they entered.

"Now entering is the Guardian of the 2nd-Floor. Creation of Lady Julia Rika Myrrda, the 'Airborne Wild-Cat', Leona Sandra Etana."

The instant Walter completed his introduction, a small, lithe female frame trotted happily past the threshold of the study's entrance whilst humming a tune. She had a height of about 5ft 11in (180.3cm), and it was clear she was not human by the pair of sky-blue, fur covered wings on her back. Hers was a unique appearance as she was designed as a hybrid being of angel and feline beastman.

She had a pair of slightly pointed ears lined with fur, and it seemed the entire outline of her body was likewise covered with blue colored fur. She had a head of neck length hair that was of the same color as her fur, and had bright, cheery, and energetic purple colored eyes, with a facial expression to match.

Her skin that didn't have fur was bright and healthy, and the feathers on her wings were a bright white that reminded one of the clouds in the sky. She wore a shining light armor set that was light blue and grey in color, and composed of a few sliver plates over her chest and abdominal areas, as well as guards for her shins, shoulders, and her forearms.

As she reached the end of the conference table she took a bow and spoke in a light, happy, and cutesy tone of voice.

"Goowd day, my lorwd.~ I'm swo happy to see you!~" She concluded speaking with a bright and happy smile on her face.

For a brief moment, Gabriel couldn't help but let go of his stern countenance as a leader as he saw the display, and a relaxed smile spread over his lips as he replied.

"It's good to see you as well, Leona. Feel free to stand by and relax while we wait for the rest to arrive." Gabriel said as he motioned with his right hand.

"Owkay!~" She happily replied as she trotted to the side.

Gabriel continued to smile as he looked upon her with thoughts rising to the surface.

 _'She's just as my friend Julia intended for her to be. I have to admit, it's sort of cute. Of course, her cute behavior hides the fact that, she'll be as friendly as can be, and still cheerfully kill you if the order is given. That was just like Julia. She loved those sorts of contradictions, since it kind of mirrored her own life as a former assassin. Stats wise, she's the weakest of the level-100s, but when it comes to ranged combat with her Divine Class bow, she can easily whittle down the opposition. I still have fond memories of watching idiots complain about how hard it was to bring her down while dodging her hail of enchanted arrows. Hm. Her stats should be...'_

Gabriel lightly taps his right temple as he recalls the information from the NPC's creation in YGGDRASIL.

 _Karma_ _: Positive 172_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Angel (5)  
Beast-Man/Feline (5)_

 _Job Classes_ _:_

 _Ranger (10)  
Rogue (10)  
Archer (10)  
Sniper (10)  
Shooter (Gunner) (10)  
Etc (40)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: 90  
MP: 20  
Phy Atk: 80  
Phy Def: 80  
Agility: 90  
Mag Atk: 11  
Mag Def: 80  
Resistance: 84  
Special Ability: 85  
Total: 620_

* * *

Just as Gabriel had concluded his musings, Walter then announced the next arrival.

"Now entering, the Guardian of the 3rd-Floor. Creation of Lady Victoria Mila Alanso, the 'Loli Sage of Justice & Destruction', Astraea Christine Amell."

Standing at 4ft 11in (149.9cm), an adorable young human girl of 14 years of age came jogging into Gabriel's study. As she came in, one could see her spotless robes of white. It had a tanned leather light armor piece over the top portion with a red and blue colored yin-yang symbol emblazoned on the front, with pink embroidery lining the edges of her sleeves and collar, and a fuscia colored sash around her waist.

Astraea had bright purple hair with a gloss that seemed to reflect the light with a near glittering sheen, and had a pair of light orange eyes. She began to present herself to her master, and although her countenance was that of a cheerful young girl, her eyes were shining with an intelligence well beyond her years.

"My Lord Gabriel!~ I heard of your recent accomplishment freeing a country from evil. As expected of the Leader of the High Lords! How might this one serve you?~" Astraea said as she energetically bowed and cheerfully grinned.

Once again, Gabriel found himself smiling. During his long life he always had a soft spot for children, and taught and mentored many in his life. Perhaps it was because he never had any of his own. His wife and bondmate Alisha passed away before they could get around to it. It also served to explain his outrage and revulsion over what happened with the children in the Drake Rider country. He then halted himself from any continued reminiscing and replied to the seemingly young girl.

"I thank you for your earnestness, Astraea. Truly, it warms the heart. For now, feel free to relax and wait for the others. All will be revealed once they arrive."

"As you wish my lord!~" She said with another energetic bow.

As her head rose up she saw Leona to the side silently and cheerfully waving at her. She then had a bright and friendly expression on her face as she lightly jogged over and the two began a quiet and friendly chat. The scene was similar to that of two childhood friends being reunited after a long time apart. Gabriel could only smile as he looked on at the display with fondness.

 _'Now this is a pleasant surprise. Seems like the settings for them to be good friends has held up. That's a good thing, considering their creators did NOT like each other, most likely due to their opposite backgrounds. Julia was a former assassin, and Victoria was law enforcement. Only reason they tolerated each other was because of their mutual friendships with Alisha and I. As I recall, Alisha suggested that they set things up in their NPC's backstories so they would be good friends as a joke. A happy accident if I am to be completely honest. Hmm...'_

Gabriel then starts tapping his temple again as he thinks back on Astraea's creation.

 _'Let's see... Astraea was created as a young girl who drank from the fountain of youth and stopped aging. So, despite her looks she is not a child in the truest sense. Victoria thought that the image of a wise little girl destroying "evil-doers" would be cool and funny. Her quirks aside, that might come in handy in the future. She is also a powerful magic caster, and one of the top five strongest guardians. She specializes primarily in pure destructive combat magic, hence the nickname. I remember all those winy idiots in YGGDRASIL who complained about how hard it was to get past her. Hah. Good times. Her stats were...'_

 _Karma_ _: Positive 200_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Human (0)_

 _Job Class_ _:_

 _Fighter (1)  
War Wizard (15)  
Elementalist: Air (15)  
Elementalist: Fire (15)  
Disciple of Disaster (10)  
Etc (44)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: 70  
MP: 95  
Phy Atk: 63  
Phy Def: 70  
Agility: 70  
Mag Atk: 95  
Mag Def: 92  
Resistance: 72  
Special Ability: 97  
Total: 724_

* * *

"Now entering, the Guardian of the 4th-Floor. Creation of Lord Gonzo Eli Oggren. 'The Gate Keeper', Egonn Strykur, with his magic beast companion, the Black Tiger Amnon."

With that introduction, a 7 foot tall (213.4cm) warrior clad in full plate armor entered. The armor was a light black color, with a golden front that was shaped like a "Y", with the symbol of the guild inside etched in jade. He wore a full helm that was lined with gold and sliver, with a slit straight across to allow for vision.

Although it was large enough to allow one to see the wearer's eyes, an enchantment prevented that, showing instead blackness. He wore a cape that was green on the outside portion, while it was red on the inside portion. It was latched onto the shoulders via golden mounts with smoothed out emerald orbs that seemed to capture and reflect the light.

His black tiger companion was a lvl-90 beast, and was large and powerful, and could easily carry a normal sized man on its back like a horse. It had shining yellow eyes that seemed as if they could pierce one's soul, and wore its own set of light grey armor with retractable dark, golden blades at its paws, sides, and the sides of its head. It faithfully followed by the warrior's side without fear, agitation, or hesitation.

The warrior walked with balanced and measured strides that communicated strength, pride, and discipline as he then presented himself to his master in a kneeling position reminiscent of that of a knight to his king. The large black tiger followed suit at almost the same time, and the warrior spoke in a deep masculine, but respectful tone of voice.

"My lord, it fills my heart with no end of joy to see you presiding over us once again. How may we serve you?"

"Hm. I thank you for your service Egonn, and you too Amnon. First, for the duration of this meeting, you will not be wearing your helm. Second, the full details will be given once all of the guardians have arrived." Gabriel said sternly.

"I-I understand and obey, my lord." Egonn said hesitantly.

He stood up and removed his helm to reveal a handsome man with strong cheek bones and facial features, with a light and fair skin complexion. He had spiky, short cut, dark green hair, and dark yellow eyes with vertically split pupils. It was clear that he was not human. He was in fact, a dragonoid in his human form. Instead of joining the others, he took a seat at the conference table and placed his helm in front of him.

The black tiger Amnon opted to rest on the nearby couch. Due to his size he filled the entirety of it, and with a soft growl went to sleep like a cat that has come home to his owner's living-room.

Once they both settled in, Leona and Astraea walked over to Egonn, who was quietly sitting with arms folded and eyes closed.

"Awww.~ You'wre swo cyute, Egyonn!~" Leona exclaimed as she hugged Egonn and started to energetically and repeatedly kiss him on the cheek.

He briefly winced from the attention but stayed as still as a statue while Astraea spoke.

"Come on, now. Don't be like that. You have two cute girls who are big fans of strong, stoic men.~" Astraea said with a cute grin as she lovingly rubbed her cheek on Egonn's shoulder.

Again, Egonn said nothing, but was clearly uncomfortable from all the attention he was receiving as he continued to wince, and even blush in a shade of dark pink.

For his part, Gabriel appeared to be slightly amused as he had a light smirk on his face.

 _'Well. This... I was not expecting. At all. Egonn was created by Gonzo to be the stoic, quintessential warrior, so I never expected him to be the shy type, or to be quite the ladies' man. The Gonzo I knew never shared these traits either. Most of the time he was too busy being a crazy, raging asshole who enjoyed LARPing as a hobby. Between that, and his real last name of "Gonzales", is why we called him "Gonzo". And the way that both Leona and Astraea are teasing him... to them it seems perfectly natural and normal. Like they've done it their whole lives. Seems there's more to these NPCs than I originally thought. Something to keep an eye on... Now I believe his stats were...'_

 _Karma_ _: Positive 180_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Dragonoid (20)_

 _Job Class_ _:_

 _Knight (10)  
Duel-Wielding Knight (Knight Lord) (5)  
Martial Lord (10)  
Sword Saint (10)  
Beast Tamer (10)  
Sergeant (2)  
Commander (2)  
General (2)  
Etc (29)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: 94  
MP: 33  
Phy Atk: 97  
Phy Def: 95  
Agility: 74  
Mag Atk: 41  
Mag Def: 87  
Resistance: 86  
Special Ability: 90  
Total: 697_

* * *

"..."

Gabriel was taken away from his musings as he then noticed Tamura coming up from behind the duo teasing Egonn. She had a stern, displeased look on her face as she then proceeded to slap them both from behind the head.

*SLAP!*

"OWIE!"

"ACK!"

"How about you two remember where you are? Such a display in front of our master is uncalled for."

Leona and Astraea both rubbed the backs of their heads as they looked at Tamura with cute, pouting looks on their faces. Gabriel held back the urge to chuckle as he thought to himself.

 _'Well, Tamura. What are you, their mother? Although it's somewhat reminiscent of how Alisha would break up Julia and Victoria from their little verbal fencing matches. Heh. Some things never change, do they?'_

Just then Tamura took a bow and spoke to Gabriel in an apologetic tone of voice.

"I am most ashamed for this display, my lord. I offer my apologies on their behalf."

"It's fine, Tamura. The meeting hasn't started yet so I am not bothered by it. I rather enjoyed the witty banter and playful atmosphere. Still, Leona? Astraea? It's clear that Egonn is not in the mood for the attention so best leave him be for now." Gabriel says calmly.

"By your command, lord!" The two said in unison, although they had difficulty hiding their mutual disappointment.

Egonn kept to his previous position, although he seemed to have a relieved smile on his face. The playful duo then moved on to the black tiger Amnon whom was resting on the nearby three-seat couch. Without a hint of hesitation they both started to cuddle and pet him like he was a big cat. The tiger was only too happy to receive the attention as its tail flapped energetically from side to side, and started to loudly purr in satisfaction.

Egonn's left eyebrow twitched in mild annoyance, while Gabriel smirked from the display.

"Now entering, the Guardians of the 5th-Floor. Disciple and creation of Lord Frederick Hugo Wayne, respectively. The 'Beautiful Protector' Schala Gisharel, and her younger brother, the 'Reaper of Warriors', Janus Gisharel."

After the introductions, in stepped two elves of equal height of 6ft (182.9cm). The first to be introduced was a beautiful female elf. She had a stern and stoic facial expression as she scanned the room for all who were present. However, like her "epithet" implied, it in no way dampened her beauty that could easily draw attention from those of both genders.

Schala had long, blonde hair with blue stripe patterns all throughout that was tied in a single, straight ponytail on the left side of her head. The hair seemed to be stiff, and gave off an almost metallic sheen in the light. She wore a blue headband with a silver plate that had the symbol of the guild etched into it. In addition, she wore a large grey eye-patch that covered her right eye and partially the right side of her face, while the left eye was a light teal color, and her luscious pink lips almost beckoned one to kiss her.

The female elf NPC Schala wore a form fitting white, black, and blue jacket with wide shoulders, that also had two vertical rows of five golden buttons. The jacket was so long that it doubled as a skirt of sorts, showing off her long smooth legs. She wore a wide blue sash around the waist, and tight black shorts that was barely seen.

The sleeves on her arms seemed to be comprised of black leather straps that wrapped around all down her arm to her knuckles. They seemed to have four silver buckles lined neatly on both her forearms. Her footwear had the appearance of form fitting black and white tennis shoes that had neither straps nor laces, but a single blue jewel that had an odd glow every time she took a step forward. Connected to her foot wear she also wore silver, circular Aegean ankle-braces that had a bright sheen in the light.

Her brother Janus silently walked on her right side. He was a handsome elf with strong cheekbones, and although he projected a similar stoic image as his sister, he seemed to have a slight grin on the right side of his mouth. He had blue hair that went slightly past his neck that had blonde highlights near the end. He wore a dark silver armor set and a cloak with hood that was a dark purple color.

Janus also wore a large grey eye-patch setup similar to that of his sister, but in his case it partially covered his left side and eye instead, while his right eye was also a light teal color.

They both kneeled before Gabriel and the sister would speak for them. Hers was a crisp, cool, and feminine voice, but also formal, stoic, and almost unemotional.

"Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon. We have answered your call and shall await your word."

Gabriel slightly narrowed his eyes at Schala for a moment before speaking.

"Very good you two. Go ahead and stand. The meeting will begin when all are gathered, but in the meantime I have a task for you both."

They both raised their heads and stood straight up. Janus seemed almost excited as he then quickly straightened his smile, and Schala spoke once more in her previous formal and stoic tone.

"What would you have of us, my lord?"

"First, stand next to my side." Gabriel instructed in a authoritative tone.

They both complied and shortly thereafter were standing 1 meter (3ft 3in) to his right.

"As you are no doubt aware, we have been transferred to a new world. I wish to test your 'special vision' and determine whether of not it had been adversely affected by this."

The brother would be the one to speak up this time in an admiring tone of voice.

"Oh! As expected of Lord Gabriel. We didn't even think of that. Right, sister?"

Schala then showed a hint of emotion as she glared at her brother in mild annoyance. He seemed unsettled by this as a few beads of sweat slid down the side of his right cheek. Gabriel picked up on this and clapped his hands twice to redirect their attention.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Schala. The events of the last few days have taken us all by surprise. It's only natural certain things will be overlooked." Gabriel says in a warm and comforting tone.

The effect was immediate as the normally stoic female elf blushed a slight shade of pink before bowing to hide this fact, and offered her thanks to her master, with her brother Janus following suit. Wanting to get things back on track he spoke again to give them their instructions.

"Alright you two, here's what I want. Schala you stand where you are, and Janus you stand behind her back to back with your eyes closed."

"By your command, Lord Gabriel." They both said in unison.

They did as they were instructed, and awaited further orders from their master.

"Now Schala, dispel the 'seal' on your right eye."

Schala replied with a nod as she then clapped her hands together, and in a flash of green light the patch that covered the right side of her face vanished. She opened her right eyelid which revealed a golden colored eye with a white pupil. It lightly shimmered with a yellow light as she looked upon her master awaiting his next command. Gabriel briefly sank into thought before speaking.

 _'This was one of Alisha's experiments in YGGDRASIL. She had a habit of modding the game wherever she could get away with it, and did so with the NPC's AI behaviors and attack patterns to make them more intelligent and effective against raids. This also extended to trying to give them additional abilities outside of what the "shitty devs" allowed. The [Eye of Shared Sight] was one such attempt. Theoretically, it should've given them a shared perception of things so they could better respond and coordinate their attacks. It didn't work in the game, but she still left it as is. Now, in this new world? It just might work...'_

"Janus, you will call out the number of fingers I hold out with my right hand."

"Of course, my lord." Janus replied as the other guardians silently looked on in curiosity and expectation.

"Ready?" Gabriel says as he then starts to extend a different number of fingers in sequence..

"Two... five... four... three... one. One... five... two... four... three." Janus says reciting the numbers as his sister saw them, with a small smile crossing his lips.

"Very good. Now feel free to relax until the start of the meeting." Gabriel says in a casual fashion.

The elf duo bow to their master after the test and acknowledge his words. Schala has her patch reappear over the right side of her face, and opts to sit next to Egonn's left while Janus sits to his right. Leona and Astraea saw this and immediately glared at them both. Janus smirks and winks at them while Schala folds her arms and ignores it. Egonn had a small smirk of his own at the display, while Gabriel silently looked on in curiosity.

 _'Seems like Leona and Astraea were disappointed, and even annoyed that they won't be able to site next to Egonn. Meanwhile, the siblings seemed to be aware of their usual behavior and decided to spare Egonn by sitting next to him on both sides. Janus looked like he was pleased, and Schala seemed to not care either way. Hm... Schala.'_

Gabriel's expression turned pensive as the female elf became the focus of his thoughts.

 _'She wasn't created like the rest of the NPCs, but was one of the Keep's original NPC defenders. During our initial invasion, the 5th-floor was the final stage that barred the way to the last floor. One of the clearing requirements was to find the hidden exit allowing us to move on. She fought against a group of six of my guild-mates, one of which used a super-tier spell called, [Chains of Atlas]. That spell binds a target and restricts all of their movements, trapping them in chains of energy. The catch? Since most players thought it a cheap ability, the devs patched it to where cash shop items couldn't shorten it's absurdly long cast time. So you needed a reliable team capable of holding off your enemy until it activates, which they did. They let her be when my group found the exit. Once we cleared the base, she remained as a bonus. Another bonus was that she was able to retain most of her original, unique abilities as a boss NPC, although the strength of said abilities were drastically reduced...'_

As Gabriel continued his thoughts, he replaced his cigarette in his usual fashion, gaining a few curious and awed gasps from the NPCs.

 _'What also made her unique was the fact that like my [Methuselah] class which could gain racial levels, she too had something similar called [Eladrin-Elf]. As I recall, the lore stated that she is essentially a demi-god elf, and in her case, an immortal high elf. When she was a boss NPC, she would self-heal and resurrect every time they tried to finish her. It was the main reason why they opted to use a super-tier spell to bind her. Every time they tried to finish her, they ended up at square one all over again. That was also toned down, since she could then be slain via decapitation, and could no longer self-resurrect...'_

Gabriel looked down to his burning cigarette as he continued to dwell on her origins.

 _'After we renamed the base and settled on a guild-name, Fred was the one who got to expand the 5th-floor, equip Schala, adjust her settings, and create her "brother", Janus. That's probably why Walter introduced her as a "disciple". Strangely enough, that bit actually caught me off-guard. There's still a few unknowns with the NPCs, and given her history, I won't assume that her loyalty will be as strong as the others. Even if I'm probably just being paranoid... Janus should be fine, given my friendship with Fred and his background. He was also one of the few in the guild who knew of Alisha's true nature. That probably influenced his decision to use a vampire avatar. It wasn't that obvious, but I could tell that he was smitten with her. Not that I could blame him. That was an easy thing to do, regardless of individual... Anyways, Janus got the epithet "Reaper of Warriors" due to the collapsible, wind powered magic combat scythe he received as a main weapon, and the players he mowed down with it in the open fields of the 5th-floor. From what Fred showed me, their stats should be...'_

 _Name_ _: Schala Gisharel_

 _Karma_ _: Positive 210_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Eladrin-Elf (10)_

 _Job Class_ _:_

 _Monk (15)  
Striker (15)  
Ki Master: Physical (10)  
Ki Master: Spiritual (10)  
Martial Lord (10)  
Unknown-Special (15)  
Etc (15)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: Exceeds Limit  
MP: 25  
Phy Atk: 95  
Phy Def: 89  
Mag Atk: 25  
Mag Def: 85  
Agility: 89  
Resistance: 89  
Special Ability: 100  
Total: 700_

 _Name_ _: Janus Gisharel_

 _Karma_ _: Positive 197_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Elf (0)_

 _Job Class_ _:_

 _Sword Saint (10)  
Champion (10)  
Knight (10)  
Elite Knight (15)  
Elite Sword Master (5)  
Sergeant (2)  
Commander (2)  
General (2)  
Etc (44)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: 95  
MP: 27  
Phy Atk: 91  
Phy Def: 85  
Mag Atk: 25  
Mag Def: 84  
Agility: 89  
Resistance: 86  
Special Ability: 88  
Total: 670_

* * *

"Now entering, the Guardians of the 6th and 7th-Floors, and the Creations of Lord Mercer Van Hyrrold and Lord Jon Tolbain Burton respectively. The 'Divine Hammer' Cassiel Andrea Curie, and the 'Bloody-Silent Death' Tabbis Ezekiel Kindler."

With that introduction, two figures briskly but smoothly stepped into the study. The first to enter was an otherworldly beautiful woman that was 6ft 10in (208.3cm) tall, with waist length, flowing orange hair, with a single white streak on the front-left side. She also had shining sky-blue eyes, pink lips, and a few faint freckles underneath her eyes on her cheeks. As she slowly walked in she had a kindly, compassionate smile that could disarm any sense of danger.

She wore beautiful, light formal robes of white and gold that did an excellent job of clinging to and outlining her shapely, curvaceous, and voluptuous figure, with an ample bosom that seemed to gently bounce with each step taken. There was a mature and a somewhat seductive allure about her, with a countenance that communicated a sense of confidence and superiority. For a brief moment there seemed to be a blurry outline of multiple wings behind her back that shimmered and faded as if it were an illusion.

Slightly behind her right side was another, dark figure that silently followed as each of its footsteps made almost no sound at all. It was a man 6 feet (182.9cm) in height, with short-cut black hair, light grey skin, slightly pointed ears, and shining red eyes with vertically slitted pupils.

He was dressed in black attire with dark red camouflage patterns, and a high neck collar that obscured half his face. In addition, he wore dark grey armored portions over his right arm and shoulder with a small gauntlet, as well as his knees and shins. The attire could be summed up in a single word: ninja.

As they both stepped in, Gabriel kept his eyes on the mature beauty who then blushed slightly after noticing his focused gaze.

 _'As I recall, Mercer worked with Felix and Alisha during Cassiel's creation to ensure that she would be the tough powerhouse he wished. What he ended up creating was a high leveled angel and the strongest of the floor guardians. Build-wise, she boasted a well balanced set-up of skills, abilities, and stats for almost any situation, and like all her fellow guardians, was fully equipped with divine-class gear. From what he showed me her sheet should be...'_

 _Name_ _: Cassiel Andrea Curie_

 _Karma_ _: Positive 395_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Angel (10)_  
 _ _Dominion (5)  
_ Seraphim (10)  
_

 _Job Class_ _:_

 _Fighter (10)  
Valkyrie: Swords (10)  
Cleric (10)  
Templar (10)  
Priestess (10)  
High Priestess (10)  
Etc (15)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: 95  
MP: 77  
Phy Atk: 89  
Phy Def: 88  
Agility: 71  
Mag Atk: 91  
Mag Def: 80  
Resistance: 85  
Special Ability: 88  
Total: 764_

 _'She was meant as one of our final lines of defense, but no one ever made it past the 5th-floor. Mercer was always pissed about that. He was so proud of his creation. Only time he ever had a chance to create anything really. Especially since it allowed him to explore his fixations for "mature women". If most players created female NPCs to be "world class beauties", then he created his to be a "world class MILF", as he once called it. Oy. I think Jon and I were the only ones who knew of his preferences for women in their 40s and older. Heh. Makes me wonder what his reaction would have been if he had known about Alisha's true age...'_

Gabriel ceased his musings when the duo in front of him kneeled in his direction, and Cassiel spoke in a warm, soothing voice as she addressed him.

"My lord, you have beckoned and we have come. It is so good to see you are well after the battle last night."

"..."

The one next to her said nothing. While Cassiel and Tamura where not particularly offended by this, the other guardians grimaced and looked as if they were to chastise him for not greeting their master. Even the normally stoic Schala seemed displeased, to which Gabriel perked an eyebrow at. He snapped his left fingers twice, immediately grabbing their attention. He would then speak to them in a calm tone of voice.

"Be at ease people. He was not trying to be disrespectful to me. He has taken a vow of silence, one in which he can't break unless under very specific circumstances. Now feel free to stand you two."

"Oooh! That's quite interesting. I apologize for doubting you Tabbis. Most of us did not know." Janus said as if to voice everyone else's collective thoughts.

As the NPC Tabbis nodded and stood up along with Cassiel, he started to use his hands to create various motions and symbols that confused Janus and some of the other NPCs. Once again, Gabriel spoke in response to alleviate any confusion among those present.

"He's using sign language to communicate. He just thanked you for your kind words."

Cassiel then spoke in a soft and calm tone of voice as she smiled warmly.

"Ah, as expected of our master. You are familiar with it."

"Yes, I am. Although it has been a while since the last time I've had to use it." Gabriel replied as he exhaled from his cigarette.

Cassiel took a graceful bow in reply as they then both walked forward to take their seats. Gabriel then sank into thought as they did.

 _'Ugh. Jon, you jackass. You thought it would be funny to have a "mute ninja" to really drive home the whole "ninjas are silent" motif. I swear, if I ever see you again, I'm going to hug you first, and then dislocate your jaw second... Regardless, judging from their reactions just now it seems that Tamura, Walter, and Cassiel at least seemed to know how to read sign language while the rest didn't. While it'll be pain, it does confirm a hunch I had that there will be things that the NPCs don't know. Annoying but still useful information. As for Tabbis himself, he was designed as a "vampire ninja". Jon thought that since he took assassin and ninja classes as a werewolf avatar, then why not have a floor guardian who was a vampire ninja? Those who did not know him thought that it was just a quirk of his, but I knew better. Tabbis' sheet should be...'_

 _Name_ _: Tabbis Ezekiel Kindler_

 _Karma_ _: Negative 169_

 _Level_ _: 100_

 _Racial Level_ _:_

 _Vampire (15)  
True Vampire (3)_

 _Job Class_ _:_

 _Ranger (10)  
Thief (10)  
Stalker (10)  
Assassin (10)  
Master Assassin (10)  
Ninja (Hidden) (15)  
Etc (17)_

 _Apprx. Status Equipped_ _:_

 _HP: 82  
MP: 35  
Phy Atk: 89  
Phy Def: 65  
Agility: 95  
Mag Atk: 70  
Mag Def: 77  
Resistance: 93  
Special Ability: 90  
Total: 698_

Gabriel concluded his inner musings and saw that Tamura went out to speak to Walter out in the hall. Tabbis took a seat next to Janus, while Cassiel was going to take a seat across from him on the opposite side. As she tried to do so, Leona and Astraea got up from playing with the black tiger on the nearby couch and were about to do the same, when Astraea failed to watch her immediate areas and bumped into Cassiel. She then grimaced and spoke in an irritated and disdainful tone of voice in response.

"Hey! Watch where you're going thunder-tits!"

Cassiel's left eye twitched slightly at the moniker, but then calmly replied in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"Ara.~ My apologies. I suppose I was under the mistaken impression that you could mind your surroundings. Given your small stature..."

"Huh?! What'd you say?!"

"Must I spell it out for you? Very well. You are a pipsqueak below notice and must not expect others to do so for you. You should have enough experience to have realized something as simple as this." Cassiel said with a superior grin.

Astraea gritted her teeth as her face then became scarlet with anger. Leona, whom was behind her, seemed nervous and uncomfortable with the situation, whilst the other NPCs looked on with fatigued looks and sighed almost in unison. Gabriel sat still in his own bewilderment at their display as he watched things unfold. Astraea then seemed to calm down and smirked before speaking in a mocking tone.

"Well, at least I have a reasonable excuse for being inexperienced. I have such a petite body after all.~ But what about you? To be so mature and developed, and yet to have no experience in matters of men and intimacy. It's a little sad really.~"

Cassiel's face reddened from a mixture of both embarrassment and outrage as Astraea dropped that inconvenient truth upon the room. This gave almost everyone present shocked expressions. The only exceptions were Schala, who closed her eye in fatigue at the display, and Gabriel who merely perked a brow as he continued to gawk at the odd scene before him, with an increasingly concerned demeanor.

Cassiel appeared to burn with rage at Astraea for her remark, before she steeled her visage, glared down and spoke to her in a tone filled with venom and spite.

"As Guardian of the 6th-Floor, 'Sanctuary of Souls', I have standards to uphold, which goes beyond the feats of your base arcane magicks that knows only to destroy. For one of such limited utility, I'm not surprised that you fail to understand that. Is a reprobate like you really suited to adequately serve the High Lords of Dracon's Keep?~"

In the instant Cassiel had posed her mocking question with a demeaning smile, blue and orange energy flared around Astraea as she released her bent up wrath. Cassiel then likewise released her own energy which glowed in a bright golden light. It then became apparent to all those present that their tit-for-tat became deathly serious, as they both radiated with unfiltered hostility and murderous intent for each other.

So great was the suddenness of the situation, the other guardians hesitated to act to break it up. One wrong move from anyone present would amount to lighting a match to a metaphorical powder-keg that would literally blow up. The only one who seemed the picture of calm was Gabriel, who exhaled a stream of smoke as his near finished cigarette vanished in a flash of green flame.

"You DARE question my service to our masters, thunder-tits?! I will personally chop off those melons and turn you into a FLAT CHEST!" Astraea roared with blood-shot eyes.

"Ara.~ Think you can manage that? Then, by all means... TRY IT!" Cassiel snarled as her eyes widened from their sockets and were locked onto her intended prey like a hawk.

Slamming the study's doors behind them, Walter and Tamura rushed in to stop them before things got further out of control. Walter bellowed out aggressively as he swiftly approached Cassiel from behind.

"Both of you! Cease this at onc..."

*BOOM!*

Suddenly the entire room violently shook for an instant, breaking Astraea and Cassiel out from their rage fueled stupor and further startling all the other guardians. There was a low humming sound as the air became thick and heavy. More than that, the NPCs felt as if their whole bodies became one and a half times heavier. It was as if the gravity in the room pressed down upon them.

The temperatures suddenly shot up, and they all started to profusely sweat. All those present could feel a hot, prickling sensation crawl over their skin, and feelings of dread swept over them as they began to feel emotions that were not their own. They felt rage, anger, and aggression, but more than that, they felt their own fear well up inside of them when they realized the source.

All eyes then turned to Gabriel at the head of the table. He was completely alight in an aura of emerald flame, giving Astraea and Cassiel a deathly glare that froze the both of them in their tracks. All guardians present, even the normally stoic Egonn and Schala, were wide-eyed in shock at the sight. It was worse for Astraea and Cassiel, whom both felt as if their necks were being choked by the maw of a mighty beast. Or a dragon.

Then in an instant, the flames vanished, and the thick and heavy atmosphere returned to normal. Within a few seconds of this, all the NPCs gasped for air. It was as if in that single moment, all present had forgotten how to breath. Even the vampiric NPC Tabbis, who technically didn't need to breath, choked for air. As the guardians gulped down oxygen, Gabriel spoke in low tones filled with disappointment and ire.

"Ladies and gentlemen. While I am not unopposed to some witty banter between comrades in arms, I am most DEFINITELY opposed to comrades working under the same banner, trying to attack each other for stupid and childish reasons. All of you! Burn this into your memories. I will NOT tolerate that sort of behavior in Dracon's Keep. If there are ANY grievances among you, you will bring them to Walter or Tamura at once, and if there are any grievances among your subordinates, I will trust you to do your jobs as the guardians of your respective floors. And if such a thing EVER happens again, you will find yourselves on the receiving end of my wrath. Am I understood?!"

All the NPCs present, without exception, trembled at his words as they all rose from their seats, kneeled before him, and spoke in unison.

"Yes, Lord Gabriel! We hear and obey!"

"Hm. Good! As for the two of you, Astraea and Cassiel. The both of you were at fault for this farce, but as we have more pressing concerns at the moment, the two of you shall receive your punishments at a later date. Understood?"

For a brief moment the two named NPCs glanced at each other, and then replied in unison to their master.

"Yes, Lord Gabriel!"

"Excellent. Now everyone take your seats, and we will begin momentarily."

As they did as they were instructed, Gabriel's thoughts ran at high speeds to reflect on what had just transpired.

 _'That was way too close of a call. Astraea and Cassiel. I knew that their creators had a history of bad blood, but to think that they would somehow inherit it to this degree. I'm just thankful that I have gained enough of an understanding of my new abilities to nip that nonsense in the bud before it escalated. It also made the impact I needed to ensure that the odds of it happening again are now slim. I can't have these overpowered kids running around without discipline and order to keep them in line. It seems I was right to be concerned...'_

Gabriel had completed his inner musings just as all the floor guardians had once again taken their seats. To his right, in order sat, Tamura, Schala, Egonn, Janus, and Tabbis. To his left sat Walter, Astraea, Leona, and Cassiel. There seemed to be one missing, and it would be Tamura who would bring it up in a light but steady tone of voice.

"My lord, should we not contact Charon to join us?"

"No need, Tamura. I contacted him via [Message] before everyone's arrival. He will be tasked with maintaining vigil over the Keep during the meeting. We don't need anymore unexpected surprises." Gabriel calmly says.

"Ah. Of course. As expected of our master." Tamura says with a smile.

"Hm. Now then, I declare this meeting in session. If there is an issue, or if there are any questions, simply raise your hand and you will be addressed in the fullness of time. Understood?"

All present took a low bow as an acknowledgment to his instructions. Gabriel briefly mulls over the proceedings before speaking.

 _'Thanks to Walter and Tamura, I learned that the guardians are given regular updates of goings on concerning the Keep. There should be very little outside recent events, and Alisha's passing that they are unaware of, which should make this easier. Once again, I am grateful for the martial backgrounds of my guild-mates, and Alisha's attention to detail. If not, having to create a similar system from scratch would have wasted valuable time...'_

"Let us now proceed. As you are all aware, the Keep has somehow been transported from the realms of YGGDRASIL, to this new world. It is currently unknown how this has happened, and chances are high that we may never know. In addition, from now on we shall refer to this event as 'The New World Transfer', or simply 'the Transfer' for short. Regardless of how it happened, it does not change the fact that we are here, and we must make peace with that. Now does anyone have any questions so far?"

Tamura raised her hand immediately upon the completion of Gabriel's query.

"Go ahead Tamura."

"Yes, my lord. If I may, last night and just now, you were able to use your [Emerald Flames] without your missing armor. Do you now how this has come to pass?" Tamura asks with curiosity clear to see.

"Indeed I do, Tamura. It seems that during the Transfer, my body somehow absorbed the armor and its powers. I am now one with it, and can summon it at will should I need to. If not, then I can simply use the powers of the flames alone, in the form of an 'aura' if you will. Think of this aura as a manifestation of my will, and of my 'spirit', in addition to the flames themselves. I trust that fills in some of the blanks?" Gabriel says with an amused smile.

"Ah! Indeed it does Lord Gabriel. And If I might say, that is an incredible feat!" Tamura says excitedly.

All of the other guardians had similar expressions of awe and wonder as what he had told them began to sink in. Then the NPC Janus raised his hand, and Gabriel motioned for him to speak.

"Yes, my lord. Was that the reason behind the test of our eyes? To see if anyone else had been affected in a similar fashion to your lordship?"

"Indeed, Janus. Nothing seemed amiss, and so far no other reports of strange changes or abnormalities have been made. So it may be safe to assume that I was the only one that has been affected. However, be vigilant on your respective floors, and immediately report anything different or out-of-place."

"LORD!" The guardians all said in unison with a bow.

Gabriel briefly thinks to himself as they do.

 _'Well, that explanation is a half-lie, and a half-truth, but there are certain things that they don't need to know...'_

Just as he completed his thoughts, Tabbis then raised his hand.

"Go ahead, Tabbis."

The vampire NPC nods and then once again uses sign language to communicate. As he does so Cassiel translates aloud for him.

="Pardon my interruption my lord, but even though we guardians have received reports of your victorious battle from yesterday, it's still unclear just what it was that you faced. I hope I am not being impertinent in asking if you were able to ascertain the identity of the creature?"=

Gabriel has a small smile that forms on his lips as he is asked that question.

 _'Jon, I will give you credit. Your boy here is quick on the uptake...'_

He then straightens his facial expression to one of solemness as he speaks.

"Indeed I did Tabbis. Actually, there is something I must confess to all of you. I already knew what that creature was before I even stepped into battle. Or rather, I had my share of suspicions."

All at once the guardians had looks of confusion and curiosity on their faces. Only Walter and Tamura seemed to be unfazed by the declaration. Just then Walter rose his hand and Gabriel acknowledged it.

"If I may, sir, was this the reason you seemed so unsurprised at Bwynleah's description during that briefing?" Walter asks calmly. (CH.6 events)

"That's correct. As you all might be aware, the High Lords of Dracon's Keep hail from a world outside of YGGDRASIL..."

 _'... something Alisha thankfully wrote into the base's lore.'_

"About 192 years ago, in my world of origin, Alisha, Jon, and I encountered a creature very similar to Bwynleah in many respects. It was deliberately summoned from another dimension through an unknown magical ritual. By the time we got there, it had killed and devoured the fools that summoned it, their troops, and the village that they had occupied. We were all younger people, and though the fight was brutal, I had managed to deliver the finishing blow with their help and the help of others."

Gabriel's brief summation of events elicited more than a few awed gasps and looks of wonderment. He held back an impulse to chuckle at them as he saw this.

 _'Fer crying out loud. They look like kids who had just received their favorite bed-time story from dear old, "papa". Heh. It's actually a bit adorable...'_

"After the encounter, Alisha did an exhaustive amount of research on the beast we had slain. Thankfully it was an arrogant sort, much like the one I fought yesterday, and it let slip enough key details for her to work from. Their race is called, 'The Yogg', or in some ancient legends Alisha managed to dig up, 'The Gods of Chaos'. They had earned that particular moniker due to a unique ability each of them have; the ability to resurrect by possessing the body of the one that tried to kill it. However, according to the old stories, they were sealed back into their home realm, and cursed by an ancient blood-rite that would allow humans, elves, dwarves, angels, vampires, werewolves, and dragonkin to deliver a killing blow without fear of possession. Until yesterday, that was the first, last, and only time I ever saw one. Their appearances can vary depending on the race they had managed to possess, but there are a few commonalities. They each will have black skin and blood, will have dual, overlapping voices, and black, tar-like dreadlocks. The Yogg also share certain types of smells, which includes but is not limited to tombstones, sulfur-ash, and oddly enough, flowers and roses."

During and after Gabriel's explanation, every guardian present remained as silent as a statue. For a fraction of a second it made Gabriel think that they had reverted back into their original states. Then a quiet murmuring began among them as they discussed the information they were given by their master. After a few moments Egonn raised his hand and was given permission to speak.

"My lord, are there any other details you can share with us regarding these extremely dangerous creatures?"

"Certainly Egonn. From what I know, they gain their raw strength from the consumption of other beings. In their eyes, it doesn't matter what race you are. All are equally their prey in the end. They have their own natural set of abilities, but can on occasion absorb the abilities of those they consume. The stronger the being they devour, the higher the chances they'll get those abilities in return. To my knowledge they do not have specific weaknesses like most others, but my emerald flames seemed to be particularly effective against Bwynleah, so for now we will operate under the assumption that is one great weakness of theirs. Furthermore, should we encounter another one, all defensive and offensive formations must proceed under the basis of using the other races in a support role. Under no circumstances should any being besides the primary seven strike a killing blow. I've no way of knowing if resurrection would be possible for those who have been possessed, and trying to find out otherwise is too dangerous. And lastly, you are to consider them a threat to not only the Keep, but to every living thing everywhere."

Each of the NPCs had grave looks on their faces as they understood the implications of what they were told. They quietly spoke amongst themselves as they traded thoughts and impressions of the Yogg. The general consensus was that they were a grave threat that needed to be exterminated, but all present expressed frustration at how little they had to go on. It was clear to all of them that their master had shared all he knew and more information would not be forthcoming.

Gabriel then snapped his fingers twice to gain their attention.

"Do not worry, my floor guardians. When time permits I will review Alisha's files to see if there's any additional information to draw from. Until then, set the topic aside. There is another matter of even greater importance that I need to share with all of you."

All at the meeting table once again gave their full and undivided attention as Gabriel then clasped his hands together. He did so softly at first, before then tightening them to such a degree that the audible sounds of bones cracking could be heard. Hesitation was expressed all over his face as he grit his teeth in his closed mouth, and every guardian present had looks of concern and apprehension come over them.

The only ones who maintained neutral expressions were Walter and Tamura, who knew full well the approaching topic, and the reason for their master's hesitation. One minute seemed to drag on for an eternity as Gabriel's thoughts ran around in circles.

 _'This... is hard. I... I've had to tell people in the past that a loved one has died, but this is far more difficult, and far more personal. Alisha had a hand in very nearly everything and everyone in the Keep. Walter and Tamura were right not to say anything at first, but I can't sit on this forever. They must know,_ _and I need to do this if I am to have any hope of coming to terms with it... Damn it all...'_

Gabriel takes in a deep breath, and his exhale warmed the room by a few more degrees as he finally relaxed his posture, and steeled himself for the words that then came next.

"My guardians, words can often fail us in some of the most important and solemn times of our lives. In over 200 years, I've had to learn this lesson time and again, but now it is even more poignant for me. Ladies and gentleman, it is with a broken and heavy heart that I inform you all of the passing of my wife and bondmate, the Lady Alisha Agathe Bludfallen..." Gabriel's countenance became somber and distant after he uttered those final words.

It was as if time itself had stopped in Gabriel's study. No one moved a muscle for a full 30 seconds as each guardian beyond Walter and Tamura tried to process the words that came from their master's lips. Then, the responses were near simultaneous as the tears of grief began to fall from each of the guardians, and the sounds of loss filled the room.

The angel Cassiel placed her right hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs as her head hung low and her tears flowed like a dam burst. The elf warrior Janus leaned back in his seat and gripped the armrests for dear life as he did the same. Egonn gritted his teeth with such a force that audible grinding could be heard. His black tiger Amnon went to his side with eyes full of tears as well, with Leona and Astraea following close behind as they embraced the magic beast, and each other letting their sobs fill the area.

The vampire Tabbis hung his head so low it seemed as if he tried to bury it in his high collar to conceal his own tears, whilst still not making a sound. Even the normally stoic Schala was overcome with grief as she let her own tears fall from her cheeks. The once stiff, large bundle of hair in her left side ponytail softened in response. Her brother Janus came up to her side and embraced her. It was one that was returned and the NPC siblings shared in their mutual heartbreak. All of them muttered to themselves during this time.

"The lady... the lady has fallen..."-Cassiel.

"Our 'Architect' is gone... she is gone..."-Astraea.

"H-How can this be...?"-Egonn.

"Sister... this is... why... he...?"-Janus.

"Little brother... please... say no more..."-Schala.

"Nyo...*sniff,sniff*... owur godmowther..."-Leona.

"...*sniff,sniff,sob*..."-Tabbis.

Gabriel let his own tears silently fall as he watched the guardians try with all their might to limit their sounds of grief, and he could not help but admire them for it. He looked upon the faces of Walter and Tamura whom likewise were touched by the feelings and emotions swelling in the room, and so for the next 20 minutes this continued as Gabriel let them all express their grief undisturbed while he sank into his own thoughts.

 _'I'll never get used to telling people that a loved one is gone, no matter how many times I have done it. My personal connection makes it even worse, but I can at least be thankful that I've had time to come to grips with it myself. I couldn't have done this otherwise...'_

After approximately 22 minutes, Tamura began to cast physical and mental buffs on all those present in an effort to help them level off from their feelings of melancholy and sorrow from the news. Some were more receptive than others, but things started to settle down enough to where half of the guardians started to raise their hands. Gabriel motioned toward Astraea, and he didn't even need to ask what the next question would be as she spoke in a shaky voice.

"M-My lord. I... I... We... *sniff* How did the Lady Alisha fall?"

All eyes went to Gabriel as the guardians waited for an answer to Astraea's query that echoed their own sentiments. They all wanted to know why someone as beloved as her was no longer with them, and Gabriel could perfectly understand those sentiments as he mulled over the question.

 _'... How do I answer her? Although I have enough of an inkling to put the pieces together on what happened that night, there are some things I simply can't tell them. Especially when they are in this state. And to be perfectly honest, I don't think I am even ready to talk about it either way...'_

After a moment of considering his answer with eyes closed, he opens them again, and as a few tears escaped his eyes, as he speaks in sorrowful tones.

"In my arms, Astraea. That is how she fell."

She was stunned at Gabriel's terse reply, which left all present with more questions than answers. Astraea, Egonn, Leona, and even Tabbis were about to press for further details, but were stopped by knowing looks from Walter, Tamura, Schala, and Cassiel whom in turn, lightly shook their heads, as if to say, "leave it be".

Understanding dawned on each of them, as they then realized that as hard as it was for them, it was more than likely worse for their master, whom made it clear that he was present for Alisha's passing. It didn't take them long to come to their own conclusions that however she died, it made no difference in the end. She was gone, and like Lord Dylan before her, it was permanent. It was a point Cassiel mulled to herself over as she tried to harden her reddened facial expression.

 _'Lady Alisha taught us that death for a high lord can be permanent. That all magicks can and will have limits. Was this the lady's way of preparing us for a day such as this? May the lady forgive me for this, but Lord Dylan's passing feels like such a distant memory, that it somehow feels inadequate by comparison. Lord Gabriel's sorrow is so deep. Even now I can feel the emotions he is trying with all his might to keep contained, for our sakes. My will pales in the face of such revolve... And it breaks the heart... to know our lord must carry such a burden...'_

As Cassiel and the rest of the guardians were lost in their own thoughts, Gabriel was also within the throes of introspection.

 _'... I can't let this scene go on. As hard as this is, I cannot allow the Keep's top personnel to be paralyzed with grief. Alisha wouldn't want that, and it would open us up to even more dangerous problems... I'm terrible at speeches, but they need to know that their master can be counted on to be their rock and their support... Oh, fer crying out loud. I'd rather face down that ballroom of vampires again than do this...'_

After but a brief moment, Gabriel hardened his expression and his resolve, as he then slowly stood up, which gained the attention of everyone in the room. Confused at first, they then saw his countenance of strength and revolve and found themselves awed by the sight. Gabriel then spoke in powerful tones fill with strength and will.

"My guardians, heed me. I, more than anyone else, understand what it is you are all feeling and going through. We will take our time to mourn her loss, but as we do so, we must also steel ourselves for the road ahead. Are there any alternatives? No, there are not. Will it be easy to move forward? No, it will not. More than anyone else, I've had to learn those painful lessons time and again. However! It is possible to do so. Alisha was there for me in my brightest and darkest moments. A kind, giving, and selfless soul, she was one of the most serene people I ever knew in my two centuries of life. So, I can safely say, that if she saw us wallowing in our own self pity, then she would do all she could to strike us down in anger from the afterlife. If we are to truly honor her memory, we must move forward, like she would have wanted us to do. Like she wanted me to do. But fear not, for we shall do so together."

"..."

Total silence reigned in the study as Gabriel finished his speech. All of the guardians appeared to go through several different facial expressions as they attempted to process his words and their meanings. Some then hung their heads low, while other continued to gaze upon him with an unwavering intensity. One that did so, catching Gabriel off-guard, was Schala Gisharel. What caught him by surprise were the range of emotions he saw in her. For this moment, "stoic" was the last word he could have applied to her.

Then unexpectedly she stood up, grabbing everyone's attention in the process. Without any hesitation in her steps or body language she marched over to Gabriel's right side. He looked at her in curiosity, while she gazed up with an expression that surprised him by the range and variety of emotions. She then embraced him, burying her face onto his right shoulder.

Widening his eyes for a brief second, Gabriel then relaxed, accepted, and then returned it. He was struck by how soft and comfortable she was, but more than that, the intensity of her embrace. It was one filled with genuine emotion, respect, and even camaraderie as she held him tight. Gabriel could feel a tinge of peace wash over him in that moment as he leaned down and kissed her on top of her head, which made her hold on even more.

So engrossed in the situation that he failed to notice that the angel NPC Cassiel was behind him, wrapping her arms around him in an embrace of her own. It did not stop there as Tamura did the same as Schala, but to his left side. Then suddenly came Astraea who embraced him from the front. Then the black tiger Amnon came into the group as it placed its head on Gabriel's waist, and one by one all of the guardians had embraced him in one giant group hug. Not a word was spoken as Gabriel sank into thought.

 _'... I worried about being their rock and support? Heh. I got it backwards. They are mine...'_

Gabriel had a relaxed smile on his face as he then unconsciously released his emerald aura. But it did not cause any harm to those present. Instead, it wrapped them all in a warmth that was matched only by the feelings of comfort and peace he felt spreading within his mind and heart.

* * *

 **Land of the Drake Riders, Rurah Palace Throne Room**

Rahkar Ailouros laid quietly in the center of what was once again _his_ throne room as he recalled the feelings of joy and relief he felt when his Royal Air Guard, and his remaining children returned safely from what could have easily been their deaths. Even more so when he saw that they were gifted full sets of enchanted armor as "compensation" for all the trouble that was caused. He thought it was humorous on his benefactor's part to have phrased it in such a manner.

He was then taken out of his reflections as he sensed a presence entering the front of the palace. Since the doors were yet to be repaired they should have had several drakes and guards standing watch over it. He sniffed at the air and then had a wide grin when realization stuck him as to the identity of his newest visitor, and then resolved to patiently await for the arrival.

After about ten minutes his visitor entered the throne room and stood before him at a distance of about 3 meters (9ft 10in). It was an elderly human woman whom wore a dark blue cloak with hood that bore an enchantment of some kind. It was most likely one that gave invisibility to its wearer. It would have fooled his guards and possibly their drakes, but not his keen dragonic senses which were still sharp.

He saw through the enchantment and a smile widened as he soon recognized the old, but playful smile of the woman before him. As if on reflex he spoke her name with both joy and fondness in his voice.

"Rigrit Bers Caurau."

"Oh, ho ho ho ho. So the brat still remembers me then. Quite a surprise.~" She said in a flighty tone of voice as her smile widened on her wrinkled face.

"Heh. Of course I would remember. You and your comrades among the Thirteen Heroes helped my father destroy the demons that once infested these mountains, which paved the way for this country to be founded." Rahkar said in a happy tone, still smiling.

"Oh? Is that what happened? I'm sorry. The memory of a juvenile dragon no older than I screaming on the top of his lungs, "Help me! Save me!", is the only thing that really sticks out in this old lady's memories.~ Kakakaka!" The visitor said as she laughed with a full throat laughter that came from the heart.

Rahkar could only chuckle as he recalled the event in question from his youth. Even though human years and dragon years were hardly the same thing, he still looked fondly upon those times with the younger Rigrit. He laid his head down and smiled warmly as he closed his eyes and basked in her laughter. She then stopped and tilted her head as she spoke again.

"Awww.~ That's all the reaction I'm going to get? How disappointing. Coming from a clan of kindly, human friendly dragons makes you a little boring my friend.~" Rigrit says in fake disappointment.

Rahkar Ailouros and his particular tribe of dragons were somewhat unique in that they were typically not as arrogant and aggressive as most of their kind. In fact, their friendly natures often branded them as "weak" amongst their kin, even though they deliberately overlook the fact that the Platinum Dragon Lord, one of the highest members of their kind, and son of the legendary Dragon Emperor, was of a similar disposition.

After a brief moment of warm feelings Rahkar spoke up in a friendly tone of voice.

"So, what brings you here, Rigrit? As far as I knew, you were working as an adventurer."

"Changing the subject then?~ Feh. No matter. If you must know, I am recently retired from that life."

"Oh? Well, now. As wizened as you are, I must admit I am surprised. Although I doubt you came all this way just to catch up with an old acquaintance."

"Well... I had heard a humor that the Land of the Drake Riders was under the rule of something other than a dragon. Since this place keeps to itself so well, I could not get more than that. Most other nations either don't care about yours, or view it with suspicion, so I decided to come here and find out for myself.~"

Rahkar gently nodded as he replied in a serious tone of voice.

"Hm. Though there is more to it, essentially that was correct until yesterday."

Rigrit perked an eyebrow as she spoke again, but in a more serious tone herself.

"Oh? Is it not still correct? The material on this floor is enchanted and changes it color to represent the most dominant power in this land. Last time I was here it was an icy blue. Now? It's a creamy green. So, can you care to explain?"

For a brief moment after Rigrit posed her question the air suddenly became tense as Rahkar narrowed his vision on her, and hers on him. Rahkar sank into thought as he considered the situation.

 _'Rigrit hides her nature well for a human. I'd expect nothing less of her. She's concerned and even outright worried. I must be careful of what I say. She is quite adept in sniffing out a lie, even from a dragon. No. Given her history, it may be precisely because I am dragon that she can do it...'_

"Very well old friend. If you can entertain the notion of listening to a long, grim, and sordid tale of the fall of a kingdom, and its subsequent liberation, then I will tell you."

Rigrit's posture relaxed after Rahkar gave her his answer.

"I'm retired, remember?~ I have nothing but time. So please, don't concern yourself over this old lady. Tell me a story.~" She said in a whimsical manner.

"As you wish."

For the next hour, Rigrit keenly listened to Rahkar's tale as he recounted the events of the fall of his kingdom at the hands of a being called a Yogg, that went by the name of Bwynleah Veinun. He spared no detail as he spoke at length in solemn tones of what had befallen his nation, the nature of the creature in question, and all he knew of its origins and special abilities. (Info in CH.3,6,7.)

Rigrit kept her expression blank and neutral as she absorbed every word spoken. After Rahkar had finished, she kept that expression as she spoke up once more in soft and sympathetic tones.

"Dear me... You have my sincerest condolences Rahkar. Truly, no living being should go through what you had to endure."

Rahkar's left eye twitched for a moment. It was as if he was surprised to be addressed by name by Rigrit, which only served to reinforce her sincerity. He then replied in a deep, grateful tone of voice as he nodded.

"You have my thanks, Rigrit. Truly, it means a great deal."

"Of course, Rahkar. I'm just angry I wasn't here to help you when this was going on."

"Do not not think of such things, old friend. If the whole of my family couldn't stop that witch, then I highly doubt you would have made a difference..."

"...Which leads me into my next question, that may be related to my first. How is it that you _were_ liberated, and by _whom_?"

As Rahkar looked upon Rigrit, and he could tell that although she hid it extremely well, there was an undercurrent of excitement, expectation, and a hint of unease as she asked her question. He fought the urge to smile as he enjoyed this side to her. Instead, he answered her question with full conviction and confidence. In his mind, despite the fact that he'd be leaving out key details, it was the truth.

"That witch, in her arrogance, incurred the wrath of a powerful Dragon Lord. Not since I won an audience with the Platinum Dragon Lord have I felt such pure dragonic strength. It was... glorious. He had slain the witch, and freed me and this country. Should he ever call upon us, then we shall answer. This entire country owes him that much."

For the first time during their meeting, Rigrit looked visibly surprised. It was as if she had received an answer that contradicted her expectations. Still, she managed to compose herself and calmly asked another question.

"Tell me Rahkar, do you know the name of this Dragon Lord?"

Rahkar replied with awe and reverence clear in his voice.

"That I do. He called himself... the Emerald Dragon Lord."

Rigrit stared blankly at the frost dragon for a few seconds before she then settled in to a contemplative facial expression. It was plain for Rahkar to see that the name was not familiar to her, but at the same time he could tell that she found herself fascinated by the story, and the existence of an unknown Dragon Lord.

She looked upon the jade colored floor, then the massive broken down doors, and then the destroyed mountaintop cum ceiling. Her actions and body language clearly showed a knowledgeable and experienced adventurer who was using available information to put the pieces of a puzzle together. She then looked to Rahkar, and then a prankster's smile spread over her age-wrinkled face as she spoke.

"Can you do me a favor Rahkar?"

"Of course, Rigrit. I still owe you a debt as well."

"A debt? Oh.~ You mean that time I saved your ass?" She says playfully.

"Heh. Yes. That." He says ruefully.

"Should you hear from this 'Emerald Dragon Lord' again, please pass along the message that an old friend of yours would like to meet."

"Hmm... I make no promises, but I shall see what I can do." Rahkar says in a serious tone.

"Well then! Perhaps I should go now. I'll stop by again one day.~" Rigrit says as she turns to leave with a smile.

"You will be welcomed, so leave behind the enchanted cloak, Rigrit."

"Hmm... I make no promises, but I shall see what I can do.~" She says mockingly.

Rahkar simply huffs at the obvious jab as he lays his head down to sleep.

In the large hall, Rigrit smiles as she walks along and thinks to herself.

 _'Now, now. Things have gotten a bit more interesting.~ I wonder if I shall catch something interesting the next time I see old Tsa...'_

* * *

 ***A/N: Hey true believers! A shout out to** **UndeadLord22 for assisting in the NPC character sheets! Until next time! ^_^***

 ***Review replies!***

 **Varcisis-11/21/17** **: (CH.7) LOL! The speed a chapter will come out will always depend, so I can never make promises. Only guesses. ;) And you're very welcome my friend. ^_^**

 **CaptainRolo-11/21/17** **: (CH.7) I'm sooo glad you love the characters. If not then the story wouldn't have much to stand on. Thank you very much! :D**

 **pta917-11/21/17** **: (CH.7) LOL! I've had longer, but I get what you're saying. :P I'm glad the chapter and the fight was to your liking and I hope to improve on the fights from here on in. And yeah, 'dat ending. O.o**

 **Totong-11/22/17** **: (CH.7) It always brightens my day when my readers love my chapters. :) LOL! You know, I never even thought about Kratos when I came up with her death, but I can see it now! :D The Yogg are an amalgam of different beings from different sources of fiction that I figured would fit right in with the Overlord setting. Glad that ol' Gabriel has struck a cord with ya'. Thank you for the kind words! As long as I can type, then he'll be sticking around for a while yet. Excelsior! ^_^**

 **Fanboy 316-11/23/17** **: (CH.7) LOL! Small world. I had a friend of mine use that particular quote during the writing phase of chapter 7. ^_^ Yeah, there just weren't that many in the way of actual badass, heroic figures in the Overlord fandom, so I figured that I could fill that void. Although Gabriel can and will make tough decisions. Glad you liked it and there'll be more so I hope to see there! :D**

 **DinoZilla-11/23/17** **: (CH.7) Why indeed? It's a mystery for the ages. It's also a key part of future plot proceedings. ;) Glad I struck another win with you buddy! Gabriel will polish his fighting style and methods so the best is yet to come. LOL! You're not rambling too bad, and the damage THOSE two could cause would be immense! :P**

 **MajorShipper519-12/16/17; 12/21/17** **: (CH.5),(CH.6) Too long to post here. PMed replies. ^_^**

 **levelgap-12/16/17** **: (CH.7) Hey there! Missed you! ^_^ Try to stop by the fanfic site a bit more. Lots going on besides my story after all. ;) Anywho, I'm pretty sure I did put "Maximize Magic" lines in there. I'd have to go back, but not important! I'm just happy you enjoyed the fight in the chapter! :D As for the Yogg bitch, as stated in CH.3 she comes from another world herself, and can consume other lifeforms to add to her own strength. And there are more like her so be sure to keep a lookout. ;) Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas, because here is a spoiler: Gabriel WILL eventually find out. It'll just be in the next arc of course, but since there is a LOT happening next arc, I'm sorry to say that I'm not planning on any intermission chapters. Not unless they're requested by enough people and are somehow used to enrich the over all story. Dragon Ojii-san is here to stay and will remain for some time. Stick around for that. ;) Until next time then, and don't be a stranger! I absolutely LOVE your reviews after all. ^_^**


	9. Chapter 9-Moving On

**Chapter 9-Moving On**

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Gabriel's Study  
-4½ hrs. After Meeting w/ Floor Guardians-**

"ARGH! This triple-damned piece of SHIT! WORK DAMN IT!"

Gabriel was sitting at the head of the conference table in his study, cursing the very air around him as he worked non-stop for over an hour and a half to learn how to use the magic item that floated in front of him. The [Mirror of Remote Viewing] is a magic item that enables a user to view other locations via live images, much like one would with a live video feed from a camera. It was 1 meter (3ft 3in) in height with an oval-shaped bronze frame covering its sides and edges.

After a few minutes, Gabriel had performed a few random hand waves, and suddenly the item let out a few beeping noises. He narrowed his vision at the object and then started to use more controlled hand movements to control the image on the face of the mirror. Gabriel let out a relieved sigh as he leaned back onto his chair. He looked at a magical time piece on his left wrist, and then spoke in exasperation.

"Ugh, fer' crying out loud... That only took about one hour and thirty-seven minutes of my time..." Gabriel sighs as his words trail off into his thoughts.

 _'Alisha was always the one to figure out items like these. With her gone, I'm a little out of my element. I was more of the frontline fighter, planner, and the strategist, but I have no room for excuses now. Especially since the entire Keep now knows of her passing...'_

A solemn look washed over his face as he reached for a glass of orange-juice on ice to his right. As he gulped down a few mouthfuls of the beverage, his thoughts went back a few hours to the throne room of Dracon's Keep, as he remembered seeing it in real life for the first time.

It was a magnificent sight when Gabriel first entered a massive set of double doors that was made of blue-steel etched with silver, and emblazoned with the guild's symbol in gold: a dragon taking flight. It was only better from there as a massive throne room was laid before him that could fit well over 300 people, and still have room left over for a few dozen more. Light for the room came via beautiful crystal formations on the ceiling.

Fifteen intricate and massive support columns made of smoothed out blue-crystal and marble, and etched with gold, had lined either side of the throne room with an emerald colored carpet etched with gold inlay down the middle. Draped over eleven of the columns on both sides were different colored banners, representing the guild-members of the Dragon's Inquisition.

At the end was a platinum, dragon-scaled throne, which was large enough to seat two people at once. It was flanked by two azure dragon statues on either side that were 5 meters (16ft 5in) in height. They were actually lvl-90 golems that were under the sole command of the leader of the guild.

Gabriel recalled how he had made the announcement, using something akin to a magic hologram projector that had broadcast his live image and audio across each floor of the Keep. Much like the other decorative props, it was a system that had been made real by the transfer. He could only silently thank Felix and Alisha for their love of gimmicks that had allowed him to simplify the process.

With Walter and Tamura at his sides, Gabriel handled the announcement in much the same way he had informed the floor guardians. All at once, every hall of every floor in the Keep was filled with the wails of grief and loss as nearly every living NPC had broken down into tears. The collective anguish was beyond palpable as it resonated through the very core of Dracon's Keep. Prayers were offered up to "The Lady" as all had wished her lost soul a painless journey into the hereafter.

Gabriel allowed them a moment to their grief, and after about thirty minutes, he gave a speech reminiscent to the one he had given the floor guardians (CH.8). Except this time, he displayed the new powers he had obtained by summoning his [Armor of the Emerald Dragon], and allowed his emerald flames to billow forth. Though the experience was still painful, Gabriel found that the pain was lessened considerably if he used his armor in conjunction with the flames.

As he had hoped, it had awed all the NPCs into silence so he could make said speech, and did so from a position of strength, determination, and willfulness that had touched them all. He pledged to take care of them, and they in turn pledged the same to their master. In their shared grief there was a unity and a solidarity that was unmatched in Gabriel's memories. In that moment, he had to admit, it had given him a genuine smile.

As his thoughts came back to the present, Gabriel looked to the magic item that was floating in front of him. He then wrote on a notepad that was laying to his right and sighed as he thought to himself.

 _'I'm going to have to learn to do a great many things that I'm not used to. I may have been the guild-leader, but Alisha was like the guild-manager, overseeing all the finances and support work that went into maintaining the Keep. In this, that bonehead Momonga had a slight advantage over me. Though I wonder how long it would've taken him to figure out that damned mirror... Ah, that's enough of that. Walter and Tamura should be here shortly, and we have planning to take care of...'_

Just as Gabriel had concluded his inner musings, a light knock was heard from the doors to his study. He gave permission to enter and Walter and Tamura stepped in and gave a bow of respect before then taking seats at the table as instructed.

"First things first. Walter, report on the situation inside the Keep." Gabriel says sternly.

"Of course, sir. As expected, most of the Keep's inhabitants are still reeling from the revelation of Lady Alisha's passing. However, as we had anticipated, your lordship's presence had greatly mitigated the blow. In fact, the way you had displayed your might for all to see had greatly boosted morale. We now expect that recent events will have a minimal effect on your Keep's operations, sir."

"Thank you, Walter. Still, keep an eye out. I've seen grief manifest in many different ways, and at different times. We can't relax just yet."

"Of course, sir. It will be done." Walter said with a slight bow.

"Good. Now then, we can begin the planning stages for the Keep's future..."

As Gabriel spoke, both Walter and Tamura had removed a [Crystal Tablet] from their respective inventories, and had a thin, pointed instrument that resembled an item for writing. They held their tablets in a manner that indicated they were about to do just that. For a brief moment Gabriel perked an eyebrow at this.

 _'Well, now. It seems a [Crystal Tablet] has multiple uses. That's good to know.'_

"First item to address. I want a new security division to be established. Its primary goal will be to monitor the areas around Dracon's Keep for any more surprise visitors..."

Gabriel then hands his notepad to Tamura as he continues speaking.

"That contains the necessary instructions on how to use a [Mirror of Remote Viewing]. According to Charon we should have at least 47 of these in the treasury. The plan is to use them to create a security net. I want at least 5 quadrants monitored at all times, split into a minimum of 2 shifts. Each team will have at least 5 mirrors at their disposal. The quadrants will be designated as northern, southern, eastern, western, and a central quadrant, which will monitor the immediate areas surrounding the Keep..."

Gabriel paused for a brief moment as he watched Walter and Tamura complete their notes before continuing.

"Should anyone get too close to discovering the Keep, we will use illusions to conceal it. I would prefer to have the Keep concealed at all times, but the drain on the treasury's reserves would be too great to make such a thing feasible, so the need for this early warning net becomes even more essential. Any questions so far?"

Walter and Tamura looked at each other, and smiled for a brief moment before answering in unison, with happiness clear in their tones.

"No, my lord!"

"Excellent. Next item: decreasing the Keep's expenses. Now, I am fully aware that the treasury has literal mountains of YGGDRASIL gold coins and other treasures, but until we can secure some kind of outside stream of resources, we need to proceed as if what we have, is all we'll have for some time. To that end, I have written down plans to curb the wasteful use of our current resources..."

Gabriel then handed them slips of paper with tightly packed, but highly organized notes, before continuing.

"All the instructions you'll need are written down here, but I will go ahead and highlight some of the more pressing items on the list. We will disable all the traps and automatic defenses, which includes any environmental hazards on the applicable floors, and they will only be used on an 'as needed' basis, and only with my authorization. The same applies to any items, consumables, weapons, and gear to be used and/or made. Again, I cannot stress enough how important it is that we conserve our stockpiles for the time being."

Walter and Tamura gave knowing nods to their lord's instructions, and as they skimmed through the list they were given, Tamura briefly thought to herself.

 _'Lord Gabriel... you are truly incredible. We barely considered many of these issues before the meeting of the floor guardians, but despite what you've been through you've already accounted for and came up with plans to address them. Lady Alisha would have been so proud of you...'_

Tamura concluded her inner musings with a joyful smile forming across her face as she then wipes a single tear that had formed in her left eye. Walter notices this and simply smirks before returning his attention to the paper Gabriel handed them. Afterward, they would position their tablets over it, and a magical light shined down upon it. They would then set the paper to the side as if it were not needed anymore.

 _'Did they just... scan those papers? Those tablets have more utility than I thought. Felix, you crazy bastard. I'm so glad that you went the extra mile with writing the background lore on those, then useless props...'_ Gabriel smiled briefly before continuing.

"While we're on the subject of resources, those papers you just scanned also included plans and instructions on mining efforts in these mountains for more raw materials. However, those plans will need to wait until we have more information on this world's available minerals and metals, which brings me to your next task, Tamura..."

Gabriel says as he looks directly at the named NPC.

"... I'll need you assemble teams of our finest scribes, magic casters, and anyone else suited to the task to go to the Land of the Drake Riders. King Rahkar Ailouros will be providing us with his nation's sum total of knowledge regarding this new world, and considering how little we still know so far, consider this task a vital one." Gabriel says with a serious edge to his voice.

"Yes, my lord! I will see it done!~" Tamura says enthusiastically.

"Heh. I know you will Tamura." Gabriel replied with a chuckle before continuing.

"In particular, we must have more information regarding countries, societal structures, known races, political situations, currency, economics, strength levels, magic, items, scrolls, potions, how they are made, resources, and other related materials."

Gabriel pauses briefly before continuing.

"Also, make sure that whoever is a part of that team is either humanoid, or can appear humanoid. In addition, they are to be wearing low class gear to avoid drawing attention to themselves when they arrive. If more personnel are required, but do not match the humanoid appearance requirements, then they must be of a race that already resides within Rahkar's borders."

"By your command, my lord. It will be done.~"

"Good. Now then, Walter for you I have a slightly different task. When Tamura's team leaves, you will accompany them and gather things of a different sort. Namely, samples of the flora and fauna that are available to them. My goal is to ensure that we have renewable sources of food that can be cultivated on the 5th and 7th floors of the Keep."

"Of course, sir." Walter says with a bow.

"Excellent. Now, I realize that space will be an issue, despite some of the decent swaths of land that are suitable for cultivation on those floors. Since the immediate goal is to create stockpiles, have the workers and druids adopt a crop rotation system that'll allow us to make maximum use of the land, and to create a large variety to be harvested. Oh, and remind Fulquard Audrey III on the 7th-floor that if he negatively tampers with ANY of those crops, he'll find out what it feels like to be kindling."

Both Walter and Tamura had grave expressions on their faces the moment they heard their master utter that name. They both gave silent nods as Gabriel sank into thought.

 _'Fulquard Audrey III. A lvl-85 Death Vine, one of only three truly "evil" NPCs in the Keep, and member of the "Worst Three", as christened by Felix. They most likely wouldn't harm a fellow NPC of the Keep, but I'll keep an eye on them regardless. Last thing I need are anymore complications...'_

"Ahem! Next item. As you may already be aware, my comrades had instituted an 'I.D. Code' system for the use of [Message], to ensure that communication was secure and those of us weren't given false or misleading information. Until further notice we will be keeping this system in place for ALL those who venture outside of the Keep. Given the unknowns of this world it is a necessary security precaution."

As Walter and Tamura gave replies to the affirmative, Gabriel handed them another sheet of paper with neatly organized notes.

"These notes contain some additional instructions for you. While you are busy carrying them out Charon will be handling management of the Keep so no need to worry on that front. Any questions?"

The NPCs look at each other, and then back to their master as they replied in unison.

"None, Lord Gabriel."

"Excellent. In that case carry out your tasks. There is a lot of work to be done, and it is my hope to have them done within the month. If, for whatever reason, that may not be possible, let me know and we'll all see what needs to be done."

Gabriel concludes his briefing by standing up, with the guardians doing the same, and performing small bows of the head. After giving their farewells, they both disappear in flashes of blue light, leaving Gabriel to himself in his study. He then sighs tiredly as he thinks to himself.

 _'Now that I've gotten that business out of the way, I'll take a small walk before going to see the good Doctor. She's sent so many requests to see me after my battle it borders on stalking. Still, she's trying to do her job so she can't be faulted for that. Especially since it was Joseph that created her...'_

Gabriel had concluded his inner musings by the time he reached the double doors of his study and pulled them open. As he stepped out, on either side were the lvl-90 Elf Knight Guardians that served as the guards to his study. They were about to kneel, but Gabriel stopped them with a wave of his hand.

"Keep up the good work gentlemen." Gabriel said calmly.

"Lord!" They replied in unison.

As Gabriel walked away, his eyes narrowed as he sank into thought.

 _'Wait a second. I've been so distracted I overlooked something important: those two were decorative NPCs with only backstory info and lore! There were a great number of things that both Felix and Alisha wanted to add but couldn't. Everything was almost maxed out by that point, even with [Cash Shop] items. I convinced them to just make decorative NPCs as a compromise, and they agreed. Damn it. I should have realized this sooner...'_

With that final thought, Gabriel grit his teeth in ire over his oversight, and used his ring to teleport to another location.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 1st-Floor, Exit Arena**

Reappearing in the middle of a circular, 30 meter (32.8ft) diameter arena, Gabriel surveyed his surroundings. It was just as he remembered from the game, but now far more detailed since it had become real. The walls and floors of smoothed out, polished stone construction, blue wall mounted magic lanterns providing additional light, with a clear, crystalline dome showing the outside was a sight to behold.

Turning to face the massive, light green double-doors that was the exit to the next floor he first saw a male humanoid figure about 5 feet 11 inches (180.3cm) in height, with a slight medium build, and wearing a rogue's attire with hood, but was colored black with a Tiger Stripe camouflage pattern in some areas.

At both his sides were holsters that carried gray firearms, with the left one glowing blue on the underside of the grip, and the right glowing red. On the figure's back, a bullpup design assault rifle was slung, with its magazine having a slight greenish glow, along with a single line on the barrel having the same.

Recognition flashed across Gabriel's face as he walked forward and addressed the figure by name.

"You are... Alfa Carlos-783, are you not?" Gabriel asked calmly.

Having been directly addressed, the figure did a military style about-face movement, and then kneeled before Gabriel in one smooth motion that blended with the previous perfectly. Then in a medium pitched, monotoned voice seemingly devoid of all emotion he responded.

"Lord Gabriel. How might, this one, serve you."

"You are fine young one. Stand so that I can look at you."

The NPC complied, and stood straight up, allowing Gabriel to see his face from the front of his hood. Alfa Carlos-783 wore a blank, emotionless expression on his face that had fair skin, yellow eyes with targeting crosshairs for pupils, and dark brown hair. Gabriel sank into thought as he looked upon him.

 _'Alfa Carlos-783. A level-50 Automaton NPC that Jon created. For some reason he always had a soft spot for this one...'_

Gabriel smiled briefly before returning to a stern, commanding countenance.

"As you were. I know that you were reassigned here from the 7th-floor during recent events. I simply wanted to gaze upon the creation of my friend Jon Tolbain Burton."

The NPC blinked three times as the name of its creator was uttered. Gabriel was having difficulty reading its reactions, but he was guessing that it was one of surprise. First at Gabriel's words, and then having the name of his creator dropped in. He then stepped forward, placed his hand on the NPC's shoulder, and smiled briefly as he walked past him, not noticing that the NPC lowered its head, with a barely noticable happy smirk.

Meanwhile, Gabriel was looking around, with his sight lingering a great deal on five massive, metallic, 10 meter (32ft 9in) tall statues in the area. They each were of a different color, but were of a similar bipedal design. They resembled bulky golems and had what looked like exhaust vents where a mouth should be, with heads built into the body with no visible neck.

The first was atop a ledge over the exit, and was a dark blue color, while the other four were lined up in pairs on either side of the double doors. From his left to his right their colors were red-black, green, brown, and grey-yellow. After a minute of looking them over, Gabriel sternly bellowed orders toward them.

"Dreadnoughts! Assemble!"

In that instant, the five statues came to life with a room shaking metallic rumbling sound. The blue one above the exit stepped off its ledge, and only took a few steps forward before it kneeled before Gabriel 1 meter (3ft 3in) in front of him. The others did likewise on either side of the blue one, which then spoke in a deep, distorted voice that would feel disturbingly eerie to those of lesser mental fortitude.

"Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon. We Dreadnoughts of the 1st-Floor respond to your call and await your orders."

"Very good. Before I do, all of you, starting from my left, state your names in order."

"By your command, lord!" They all said in unison before following his instructions.

"I am Leviathan." Said the red-black one.

"I am Mammoth." Said the green one.

"I am Behemoth." Said the dark blue one.

"I am Goliath." Said the brown one.

"I am Samson." Said the gray-yellow one.

"Very good. For now, continue to stand watch over this area. Should there be any intruders, instructions will be given accordingly. Understood?"

"Lord!" They all said in unison before slowly heading back to their original positions.

 _'It seems the background lore for them is intact. In the past, the one called Behemoth would spout off a few pre-recorded lines, warning invaders, "enter at your own risk", or something to that effect. All five should be lvl-90 Golem/Automaton hybrids. Carlos was sent here to not only add an additional patrol, but to relay orders to them. Walter and Tamura did a good job re-shuffling things while I was out...'_

Gabriel is taken away from his thoughts as he noticed that the NPC Alfa Carlos-783 was in a bowing position behind him.

"At ease. Continue to follow your instructions. I'll be leaving now." Gabriel said in a calm tone as he readied his ring.

"Safe travels, my lord." The NPC said in an emotionless voice.

"Hm. Thank you." Gabriel gently replied as then disappeared.

When he left, Alfa Carlos-783 smiled briefly as he spoke again.

"My creator, I swear, I will watch over, your friend, and my master."

Then with smooth, crisp movements the automaton turned around and left the area in a quick pace so as to continue its patrols of the 1st-floor.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, The Treasury**

Re-materializing in a large open hallway, Gabriel surveyed his surroundings. The hall he appeared in seemed like it would lead to a door, but instead led to a green colored wall. Like most other guild bases, the Treasury of Dracon's Keep was spatially isolated, and thus required the use of a [Guild Ring] to access. Seeing a panel on a nearby wall, he tapped a few crystal buttons, and it displayed new information.

"90% capacity, huh? Alisha must've spent a bundle to get it up there." Gabriel said with a forlorn look as he waved the displayed information clear.

He sighed ruefully as he then hardened his facial expression and walked forward. He was met by the sight of a massive open area, with walls made of teal colored marble, and bright warm magical light illuminating the area.

There were numerous and massive cylindrical, crystalline tubes that seemed to stretch up into a ceiling that could not be seen due to its massive height. These tubes had stacks upon stacks of YGGDRASIL gold coins within them that illuminated the space with a gold radiance that was only enhanced by the bright lighting. The walls had numerous built-in shelves that displayed glistening treasures of uncountable worth and value.

For a moment, Gabriel could only smile as he knew, that this was merely the tip of the iceberg. His guild was notorious for farming materials and resources from YGGDRASIL to a near ludicrous degree, thanks mostly to Alisha. Her penchant for using her inhuman stamina allowed her to play longer and harder than any normal human player could, and Gabriel at times thought it unfair. Although, he was aware that he had no room to talk, as he at times did the same thing, along with their friend Jon.

They were also looked down on as "cashers", thanks again to Alisha whom used her own significant real-world wealth, to buy up everything that she could. This included crafting materials, YGGDRASIL coins, [Cash Shop] items, and lottery (gacha machine) items.

As Gabriel walked through the halls of the treasury, he grinned as he then recalled one instance where Alisha had spent a small fortune trying to get a super-rare item that was called, [Shooting Star]. She succeeded, along with Jon and the late Dylan, whom made up the only ones in the guild who had managed to do so. Unlike her though, they had managed to get theirs on the first few tries. As he thought of this, Gabriel chuckled as he spoke aloud in a nostalgic tone.

"He he he. That bonehead Momonga did something similar, didn't he? Gambled away his entire year-end bonus just to obtain one item. I could only laugh back then, since Alisha went and did something all too similar..."

Gabriel ceased his reminiscing when he came upon a circular central chamber, with six different paths to choose from, including the one he stepped out of. They were laid out in the shape of an asterisk, and each had a different colored light above the mouth of the entrance.

This indicated the types of items and treasures one could find down each path. The one Gabriel emerged from had a gold colored light shining above his head, while the others, starting from his right were blue, green, red, purple, and white. This colored coding was implemented for use of the guild-members, but would also serve to confuse would be invaders, IF they ever managed to get this far, and not die from the traps.

In the center of the large chamber, there were at least three curved sofas that appeared to have been designed for comfort and lounging. They were arranged around a single large circular table that had numerous items, crystal tablets, and papers neatly placed and organized. On each sofa, there was a robed feminine figure laying casually on their sides, and wore hoods that perfectly obscured their faces.

The only thing that could be seen was long curly hair that was protruding from and down the neck area. Each figure had different colored hair that was black, red, and blonde, setting them apart as they wore identical, luxurious robes of purple and black silk-like material, lined with platinum etching and shoulder guards. They also wore identical golden amulets with three diamonds arranged in a triangle pattern.

Not a few seconds after Gabriel had entered, the robed figured with black hair slightly lifted its head and spoke in a low and sultry tone of voice.

"Sisters.~ Our creator has arrived. Let us greet him properly."

With that statement, all three stood up simultaneously, while the one with red hair spoke in a calm, collected tone.

"It's been too long since we have personally seen our lord-creator."

As they all walked around the table and forward in a horizontal line, the blonde haired one spoke in a cute, mischievous tone.

"He he.~ I'm glad to see him again. Especially after those recent treasures that were brought in..."

"Hush now.~ We approach our lord." The black-haired one interjected.

Gabriel stood still as they lined up in front of him, each the same height of 6 ft (183cm). They took a deep bow, and then spoke in unison, all perfectly timed and in sync.

"Thanks be to our lord-creator for gracing us with his presence. How might we serve?"

 _'Well, "lord-creator", is it? Incredibly formal, but I'll let that one slide...'_

A faint smirk was on Gabriel's lips for a moment before returning to a serious expression and responds firmly, but gently to them.

"Be at ease ladies. I am glad to see you too. Now raise your heads and remove your hoods so that I may look upon you."

"Yes, lord!"

Again, with movements perfectly in sync, they rose from their bowing position, and proceeded to lift their hands to move their hoods back. However, their "hands" were not hands at all, but marble white skeletal fingers that bore two rings on each hand. Pulling back their hoods revealed not faces of flesh, but bleach white skulls that were glistening under the light.

In the sockets of their eyes, red dots that were akin to flames burned brightly as they gazed forward. Their curly, lustrous hair was draped over their left sides in an identical fashion, with identical styles, and was the only thing that was present on their skulls. As they awaited further orders, Gabriel stood still with a blank expression on his face as he looked upon them.

They are the level-90 area guardians of the treasury under Charon, and were undead Overlords, each specializing in different types of magic. The black-haired Overlord was named Clotho, and was an Overlord Necromancer. Lahkesis was the red-haired Overlord Wiseman, and was extremely powerful in the use of offensive and defensive arcane spells. Rounding out the trio was the blonde-haired Atropos. As the Overlord Kronos Master, she specialized in the use of time manipulating magic.

 _'They are just as I remembered when I made them years ago, but more real and vibrant. I remember giving them the different colored hair as a simple method to tell them apart, but even then I wondered why I made them this way. Perhaps, it was due to that bonehead Momonga. Our guilds were always on friendly terms, even though we never made any formal alliance...'_

Gabriel is taken from his thoughts as the one named Clotho hesitantly spoke.

"M-My lord? I-Is there something the matter? If something displeases you we shall take immediate steps to correct it."

For a moment Gabriel didn't respond, but then a soft smile slowly formed as he walked toward them. The trio of Overlord "sisters" looked at each other in what could only be presumed to be uncertainty, since they had no flesh on their faces to form expressions. Then without warning, Gabriel spread his arms wide, and embraced all three of them in one massive group hug, eliciting audible gasps from the trio.

"Nothing is wrong, ladies. I was simply moved to see you. I apologize for having not visited you in so long. I've been... distracted as of late."

The trio visibly shook from the apology they had received. They knew their creator to be an honorable man, but to actually hear it for themselves was another. As Gabriel closed his eyes and held them tightly, they could not help but be moved to do the same. Clotho would speak up for them in a voice that, for a brief moment, cracked before returning to normal.

"Our dearest lord-creator, y-you have nothing to apologize for. We perfectly understand your position... but we do offer our heartfelt thanks.~ We could not be more blessed to receive this gift you have given us..."

The trio then held onto Gabriel even more tightly at the conclusion of Clotho's words. In a private [Message] spell, they silently spoke amongst themselves.

 _[Kyaa!~ Sister Clotho! Was Lord Gabriel always this kind?]_ Atropos excitedly asked.

 _[Hmm?~ I... do not know. Never before in my memories had Lord Gabriel shown this side of himself to us.]_ Clotho replied.

 _[Perhaps the loss of the Lady Alisha has something to do with it. Back then, Lord Gabriel seemed indifferent toward us, while Lady Alisha was always so compassionate and kind. She always was the center of his attention. Now...]_ Lahkesis was saying before being interrupted by Clotho.

 _[Hush now. Do not spoil this gift we are receiving with anymore talk.[Message End]._

The four of them stay in a silent embrace for about ten minutes before Gabriel relaxes his hold on them, and pulls back slightly with a small smile still present.

"Now ladies, remember that if there is anything you wish to discuss, or something you want, do not hesitate to let me know. Alright?"

Once again, the Overlord trio were taken aback by their master's words as they gazed at him, and then at each other, with the red lights of their eyes growing in intensity. They then bowed low in unison as Clotho spoke for them.

"We are honored by our lord-creator's words, and offer our deepest gratitude and as ever, our loyalty."

Gabriel raises his right hand, and in turn rubs each of their heads as he speaks in a soft tone.

"I know you do. I never once doubted it."

As Gabriel withdrew his hand, all three of the sisters were struck by the same thought...

 _'Our lord-creator... is so warm...'_

They are brought out of their thoughts as Gabriel returns to a serious expression and speaks in a firm tone of voice.

"Now, on to my second reason for being here. Escort me to the 'egg'."

The moment Gabriel uttered the word "egg", each of them straightened their postures, and the lights in their skulls dimmed. The air become heavy and serious as they bowed and turned in the direction of the purple colored entry-way, with Gabriel closely and silently following behind.

For the next ten minutes they walked down the dimly lit corridor in silence, with only the sounds of their footsteps resounding throughout. Afterward, they came upon a large, grey chamber with surfaces so smooth they seemed to have a mirror sheen. The chamber itself was shaped like a pentagon, with each side having a vault-like door that was 8½ feet (259cm) in height, and 5½ feet (168cm) in width. Each glowed a different colored pattern that was reminiscent of a circuit-board.

Clotho took the lead and approached a vault door on the upper right-hand corner and started to tap numbered crystal keys that chimed with every press. As she did Gabriel sank into thought.

 _'It's been so long since I've been this way, a lot of it has been changed. Felix and Alisha did an amazing job with this place. When I have the time I'm going to have to go through each of Alisha's files to see where's what. For now though, time to put one last theory to rest...'_

As Gabriel had finished his thoughts, a flash of white light and the fading of the glowing patterns on the vault door indicated that it had been unlocked. The 12 inch (30.5cm) thick door then separated down the middle into the adjacent walls opening the way for them. Before they even began to file in, Gabriel's eyes widened in surprise.

He held his breath for a moment as he forced his expression to return to normal, and took in slow steady breaths. He felt as if his heart was beating inside his skull, his blood boiled in his veins, and a sharp thrill ran up the lengths of his spine as he crossed the threshold into the newly opened chamber. What he felt was the effects of his newly acquired dragonic sense, which allowed him to perceive dragonic blood and power.

The reason why it had become active and elicited such a reaction from him became clear as a massive, dimly lit chamber came into his view, containing an equally massive and slightly glowing dragon egg, surrounded by black-marble sconces emitting green flames. The egg was set on its side showing its full length, which was easily 35 meters (114ft 10in) from end to end. The width could not be made out but was no less massive.

The egg pulsed with energy every few seconds, and the chamber which was easily two and a half times larger than the egg, echoed with the sounds of a heartbeat that clearly came from the egg itself. Gabriel stepped forward as the trio of female Overlords made way for him, and lined up on his left with each taking a bow. He waved at them to be at ease as he walked forward with his eyes fixated on the egg, placing his right hand on it.

Gabriel closed his eyes, and focused on taking in the sensations he felt from the egg. It felt warm to the touch, with a smooth surface akin to that of polished ivory. More than that though, were the feelings of dragonic life that pulsed into Gabriel's fingers that made every nerve in his skin light up as if he were being shocked by static electricity. He smirked as he thought on this.

 _'It may be a while before I get used to these feelings. This [Dragon Sense] I have now is such a unique and strange sensation. It's like a second brain has grown inside my skull. But this just confirms my earlier hunch. When we captured this place, Alisha was upset that we didn't get a dragon bonus like a few other guilds did. We couldn't make one, so I told her to just, "make an egg like a good mama dragon", as a joke. She took me literally, and made this as a decoration, which like everything else in the Keep has now become real. Hmm... I wonder...'_

Gabriel opens his eyes, turns around and walks toward the trio. He folds his arms and speaks in an authoritative manner.

"Lahkesis, I wish to test your knowledge. You feel up for it?"

"Oh, most certainly lord-creator. What would you have of me?"

"Give us all a brief summary of this egg."

"Of course, my sire."

Lahkesis steps forward as she clears her throat, which Gabriel perked a brow at, since she didn't have a throat. Then with a teacherly demeanor she began to speak.

"What we have here, is what is known to us as the, [Egg of the Storm-King]. Long ago, Lady Alisha fashioned this from her will, the ethereal energies of YGGDRASIL, and the powers of our lord-creator's glorious Keep. According to the lore left to us, one day it shall give birth to a mighty dragon that will command the forces of lightning, and act as a mighty sword, shield, and steed for our master, Lord Gabriel. It is not known when it will hatch. All that is known is that when, 'blood calls out for blood', it shall awaken and burst forth from its shell."

Lahkesis finished speaking with a dramatic flourish and a bow, to which Gabriel smiled and started clapping.

"Well done. You did a good job with that, Lahkesis."

"Oh! Thank you lord-creator. Y-You humble me with such praise." She said in a low tone as she started fidgeting like a shy and embarrassed schoolgirl.

Gabriel smirked as he told her to carry on, and then turned to face the giant egg in the center of the chamber.

 _'If she weren't an animated skeleton, that display might've been a little cute. No matter. More importantly though, is that line "blood calls out for blood". That's quite a common phrase used in the teachings of [Blood Magic], and knowing her love of role-play and attention to detail, she might've encoded a blood ritual with that phrase. That being the case, I have a fairly good idea of what it might take to "wake up" this dragon...'_

Just then Gabriel was taken out of his thoughts as Atropos spoke up in her cute voice as she tilted her head to left.

"Um, excuse me my lord-creator.~ Do you know what 'blood calls out for blood', is supposed to mean?~"

Before Gabriel could answer, Atropos was immediately chastised by Clotho next to her.

"Hush, Atropos! It is rude and improper to ask of such things of the lord-creator."

"But sister...~"

"No buts!"

Then with an amused chuckle Gabriel interjects.

"He he. It is fine Clotho. I know she meant no offense. She is merely curious, as always. To answer your question Atropos, I have a decent guess as to what it means. Until the time comes, I'll be keeping that information to myself. It's not that I don't trust the three of you. I simply feel that revealing it would be a premature move until I've had a chance to test my hypothesis. Understand?"

"Oh, yes lord-creator! Thank you very much!~" Atropos says excitedly with a bow.

 _'He he. Their settings are holding up well. They're absolutely loyal to me, and much more lively than "normal" undead might be like. Atropos is the curious, energetic one with the a cute voice that runs at odds with her undead appearance. Clotho is the mature and responsible elder sister, and Lahkesis is the calm and scholastic type, although that earlier shy display was unexpected. As much as I'd love to spend time down here with them to figure these things out, there is simply too much to do right now...'_

"Thank you for your assistance ladies. I have a great deal that requires my attention at the moment, so I must be off. Continue your work, but feel free to occasionally visit the rest of the Keep. It'll be good to mingle with fellow comrades in arms, and to see more of your home." Gabriel said in a relaxed tone.

The trio were motionless for a moment as the lights in their eye-sockets intensified. Then they all took a bow, with Clotho speaking for them.

"W-We graciously accept our lord-creator's generosity and magnanimity, and shall work hard to be worthy of it!"

Gabriel readies his ring as he lightly smirks before speaking.

"You already are."

With that simple statement he vanishes in a flash of blue light.

After Gabriel's departure, the trio exited the chapter and resealed the vault door. Then there was a moment of silence before Atropos energetically spoke up.

"Lord Gabriel is so cool!~ I can't remember the last time he was so generous!~"

"Hmph! I should hit you for your earlier display sister, but alas you do have a point. Although I cannot help but pity our lord-creator, even though we as undead, are supposed to be removed from strong emotions." Clotho added in solemn tone.

"Doesn't that just prove the kind of presence our lord-creator has? When he held us, I could feel his warmth and his power flowing through me, as did you. I... I felt moved, more so than when he addressed the Keep. It's no wonder that the Lady Alisha spoke so highly of our lord, and loved him so dearly." Lahkesis said in a wistful tone.

"We must work hard to support our lord-creator, now more than ever." Clotho said with determination.

"Yeah!~ And maybe one day, we can ask him that question that we have held back.~" Atropos replied.

"Hm? Which question is that?" Lahkesis asked as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Oh, you know!~ Where we can call him 'father'. Me? I want to call him 'daddy'!~" Atropos answered in an almost childlike demeanor.

Clotho came up behind her, and with a clenched bony fist, executed a right-cross to the back of Atropos' head.

"Ow!~"

"Hush! Do not even pretend that hurt! And we shall not speak of such foolishness again. Now let us be off my sisters. There is much work to be done." Clotho said sternly.

"Right!" Atropos and Lahkesis replied in unison.

The trio then each cast the spell [Fly] as they hurriedly flew back down the corridor they came from. Although they were undead, they were filled with an unmatched loyalty and devotion that sped them onwards to their tasks.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Sanctuary of Ianuaria  
-2 hrs Later-**

As Gabriel sat in the office of Head Doctor Althia Tanos, he would brief her on all the physical changes he has experienced. Everything from the [Blood Magic] now coursing through his veins, his enchanted nano-machines, the merger of his armor to his being, him being infused with its powers, his new dragonic traits, his increase in his appetite, libido, and his still somewhat emotional imbalance. (Info in CH.5, 6, & 7)

During the course of the briefing he could tell that she was excited by all the new information he was giving her. Her pure white wings twitched ever so slightly every few seconds as she listened, and in Gabriel's mind the phrase, "kid in a candy store", felt like an appropriate one to use to describe her. Still, it did not affect her duties even in the slightest, as she then gave him a full, and private examination.

The Head Doctor was horrified by the numerous scars that now covered the majority of her lord's body, which resisted any attempts by healing magic to disappear. For his part, Gabriel did not seem that concerned, and told Althia Tanos not to be concerned about it either.

She did not seem fully willing to accept it, thinking such a permanent deformation of his "beautiful body", should not be allowed. She only relented when he made an offhand comment on how some women find scars attractive, blushing her into silence as he laid bare before her on an examination table. Also, during the tests that she was conducting, the angelic doctor discovered that the blood magic in his veins, and his emerald flames were inherently incompatible with each other.

According to her findings, while there was some interplay between them, such as the physical manifestation of dragonic traits, due to his body's absorption of his dragonic armor and its powers, using the two abilities simultaneously in his own body was seemingly impossible. She warned against any attempts in trying to force them to work in tandem, feeling that the results may be hazardous.

She found that this was because his flames burned not only the physical, but also the ethereal and the magical. Since his body was now flooded with both of these forces, his flames would react negatively to its presence, resulting in the intense pain he described, the now permanent scaring, and the scars' resistance to healing magic.

A few hours had passed, and as Gabriel got dressed in a lightly armored, silver and green colored regal raiment, the angelic doctor spoke to him in a concerned tone of voice as she finished tapping some information onto her tablet.

"My lord, earlier you mentioned your increased libido. Tell me, have you experienced any physical pain and/or discomfort from not acting upon it?"

Gabriel fell into contemplation as he finished getting dressed. After a brief moment he calmly replied.

"As a matter of fact, yes I have. It wasn't so unbearable or painful that I felt it warranted a mention of it. Why do you ask, doctor?"

"Um, well my lord, I was going over some of your information from the [Sensor Crystal] I had placed on you and noticed an increase in your pain readings in your nervous system, which seemed centered in your cranial and circulatory areas. This corresponded with your, um... arousal during my examination of your body." Doctor Althia Tanos said whilst blushing profusely.

Gabriel saw this and rolled his eyes at the situation before calmly speaking.

"It's nothing to be concerned about, doctor. The pain and discomfort levels are not so high that I cannot tolerate them, and they are more than likely another symptom of the changes my body has gone through. I'll just have to put up with it is all." Gabriel says as he sits down in front of a nearby desk.

"My lord? If I may be so bold, it may not be necessary for you to endure any discomfort from these changes. As your loyal servants, we are more than willing to help in relieving any of your discomforts, and as the Head Doctor it is my duty to look after the well-being of our High Lords. If you'll allow it, I would be willing to assist you.~" Althia Tanos says with a blushing smile as her wings twitched excitedly.

Gabriel perked a brow at this, and held back the impulse to chuckle as he responded in a soft, calm, and serious tone.

"I'll consider your request at a later time doctor. For now, I have other issues I must discuss with you." Gabriel says as he motions towards a seat in front of him.

Althia Tanos notices his serious demeanor and changes her countenance so quickly that it would make one wonder if she were serious herself earlier. Regardless, she picked up on her lord's intentions and took a seat. With the steely focus of a hawk she gave him her undivided attention.

"Doctor, do you have the facilities necessary for the long-term storage of fresh blood?"

"Oh? Of course we do, Lord Gabriel." Althia replied with a hint of confusion in her voice.

"Good. Until further notice, I will be needing you to draw at least 4 pints of my blood, to be stored everyday. My reasons for which I can't share at this time. However, I need this to be kept confidential. No one beyond the two of us must know. Am I understood?"

"Yes, my lord. I understand." Althia replies in a stern tone.

"Very good. Now, there are other matters that I will need your discretion on, as well as your expertise..." Gabriel pauses as he retrieves a tablet from his inventory and hands it to the angelic doctor.

"This tablet contains some information on plans I have for the future of the Keep. It'll require you to do some research on subjects that my friend and your creator may have infused into you. Look over the list, and as you do, look to me and nod if you are familiar with them."

Althia had an expression of curiosity and confusion on her face as she accepted the tablet Gabriel handed her. She tapped its surface a few times and it displayed some new information. Within a few seconds of laying her eyes upon it they widened to the size of saucers in surprise. As instructed, she looked to her lord and nodded thrice as she went over its contents. She then placed it in her inventory and looked to Gabriel inquisitively.

He picked up on her expression and responded in a gentle tone.

"You can be at ease, doctor. None of these procedures will be used without need, and not without the consent of those directly involved. I'm well aware of your prime tenet of, 'do no harm', and would not order you to go against it under normal circumstances."

Althia Tanos seemed to relax immediately upon hearing those words from her master, and smiled in relief as she gave Gabriel a head bow. He then spoke again in the same gentle tone.

"Now then, I must be off. I'll of course keep you informed of any other changes I may experience. Until then..." He smiled to her as he lifted up his ring to teleport, which elicited a small blush from the angel.

He then disappeared in a flash of blue light, leaving the angelic doctor alone as she spoke aloud in a flighty tone of voice, with her wings twitching excitedly.

"My lord, you are truly amazing. To think you have thought so far ahead, and that the knowledge of your world might be required... It is truly exciting. And best of all, you didn't deny my request entirely. Despite those scars, your naked form is still handsome and magnificent to behold...~"

Althia sighs deeply as she loses herself to a daydreaming state, her thoughts going back and forth between the contents of the tablet she had received, and the expectation her master's lack of a reply had unknowingly created.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Training Chamber-4  
-The Following Morning-**

The massive area of a mountain castle with additional stone construction seemed to be completely repaired from the last time Gabriel had "used" it. (CH.6) Standing in the center of a wide open area was the lvl-92 incubus in charge of the training chambers, Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx.

Standing with him with arms crossed was the Guardian of the Treasury, Charon Zobach, and standing behind him were the guardians of the 3rd and 6th-floors, Astraea Christine Amell and Cassiel Andrea Curie. As they stood in place, the incubus NPC Lynal Dexx spoke inquisitively.

"Um, pardon me honored floor guardians, but do you know why our Lord Gabriel has called us here?"

Astraea and Cassiel looked at each other, with carefully hidden disdain, but also with the same curious looks, indicating they knew not the reason either. The vents of Charon's helm ejected steam as he spoke in a distorted, emotionless voice.

"I do not, but it matters little. Our master commanded we be here for his arrival at 0900 hours, and we will do precisely that."

"Oh, my apologies. I did not imply otherwise, Lord Charon. I am merely curious, as I am sure we all are." Lynal replied as he took a bow.

"Hm. It's fine." Charon said as more steam left his helm.

Astraea had her hands behind her head as she waited for their master with a bored look on her face. She yawned exaggeratedly as she then hummed an unknown melody that echoed throughout the chamber. Lynal was enjoying the tune, while Charon seemed indifferent. Cassiel however was visibly annoyed by the humming as she grit her teeth, and she grimaced to such an extent that a vein could be seen bulging from her temple.

Then from the corner of her right eye Cassiel noticed a faint smirk on Astraea's lips, as she in turn noticed the effect her humming had. They seemed more than ready to burst into another altercation when suddenly Gabriel teleported into the chamber via his ring. When he appeared they ceased all other acts and bowed to him, each giving the same greeting in unison.

"Good morning, Lord Gabriel!"

"Good morning my guardians. As much as I would like to engage in some 'small talk', I'm afraid I must get down to business. I have gathered you here for two reasons. First, I am announcing that I shall be secluding myself to this training chamber for the next 31 days in an attempt to regain the 'levels' I lost due to the transfer. Unless there is a situation or an emergency that requires my attention, Walter, Tamura, and Charon will be looking after the Keep. In addition, they'll be the only ones besides the Head Doctor, who will be permitted to make direct contact with me during this time..."

The four NPCs to his front were stunned into silence, as his first announcement took them completely by surprise. They all wanted to say something to refute the words of their lord, but each knew that it would be futile. They knew how willful Gabriel was, and also could not help but concede to the logic in him trying to regain his strength. Should he succeed, it would strengthen the Keep as a whole, as well as their lord.

Just as they realized this, Gabriel spoke up in a stern tone as he looked in the direction of the Cassiel and Astraea.

"The second reason is the two of you, Astraea and Cassiel. I shall now give you your punishments for trying to do harm to each other during the last meeting."

The reactions from each NPC were immediate as Gabriel finished speaking. Lynal winced with beads of sweat covering his face, with his expression clearly showing signs of fear and pity for the two named floor guardians. Even Charon was hanging his head low in pity for his fellow guardians. Astraea and Cassiel glanced at each other with expressions of mutual understanding and resignation as they awaited their lord's judgement.

"I need to conduct an experiment to confirm something. So Astraea, as part of your punishment, you'll be using a lightning attack spell on me. Cassiel, you'll stand by and watch, forbidden to interfere even in the slightest."

All at once, there was shock written on the faces of three of those present. No one in the group anticipated this kind of punishment. To attack their beloved master just for the sake of an "experiment" was nigh unfathomable to them, and to be forbidden to intervene in such a thing was almost as bad. With these thoughts in mind Astraea then spoke up, with her voice cracking as she did, bearing a desparate look on her face.

"M-My lord! Please, I'm willing to accept any punishment, b-but I could not think of doing harm to your body without just cause! I beg-"

*CRACK!*

Astraea's pleas were cut short when Gabriel raised his right hand, and a loud cracking sound echoed throughout the chamber as his thumb was crossed over his index finger.

"I find it interesting that you hesitate to lift a hand towards me, and yet did not seem to hesitate when it came to a comrade in arms. No, not interesting. That's not the word I'm looking for. Let's try 'hypocrisy'. Yes, that's a much more appropriate term here."

Gabriel gave Astraea and Cassiel both icy glares that made them shudder as he then continued speaking in a low tone.

"Let me tell you both something: it does not matter if you two like each other or not. That's perfectly fine. You want to trade barbs with a dash of witty banter? That's fine as well. The mark of a true professional is being able to push beyond your personal feelings to work together towards a common goal. The time may very well come, where you two may need to depend on each other to stay alive. Your attempts to attack each other is not just a wound against the unity of the Keep, but also against me. As your lord and leader, I'm responsible for you and your conduct. Understand?"

Dejected expressions came over the faces of Astraea and Cassiel as the meaning behind his words began to sink in. From their point of view, their actions shamed him, and if the circumstances were different, would have put the Keep and their comrades at risk. With that in mind, all resistance to his punishment faded and they resigned themselves to his judgement as their heads hung low, with Cassiel thinking to herself, almost in prayer.

 _'My dearest lord, I am so sorry our shallow actions caused a burden to you. This is truly a fitting punishment for me as one of your guardians. To watch as I am unable to stop harm from coming to your person. Forgive me, my Lord Gabriel...'_

At the same time, Gabriel was also in thought.

 _'This may be a tad harsh for them, but that doesn't make it any less necessary. Despite the reprimand I gave them last time, they and the others need to learn unequivocally, that actions will have consequences. I had to learn that the hard way, but this will be easier for them in the long run, than it was for me...'_

Gabriel broke from his musings as he spoke sternly.

"Astraea, take five steps forward."

The petite guardian did as she was instructed and awaited her next order. Gabriel then moved away by 5 meters as he spoke.

"Now then, am I correct in saying that you have a skill that allows you to boost the power of a spell beyond its original level?"

"Um? Uh, yes my lord. That is true. I can take a simple first tier spell, and enhance it to where it can hit with the force of something much stronger.~"

"Is that so? Then here is what you will do: you will use the 7th-tier spell, [Chain Dragon Lightning], and use it in its base form. Then you will fire it off again, with each successive use being boosted in power. Understood?"

"Yes, my lord." Astraea said in a sad tone.

With the exception of Cassiel, the other two NPCs backed away as Astraea clapped her hands together with an echo, and spread them apart again with blinding blue bolts of electricity surrounding her, and contained in her grip is a maelstrom of energy. After a moment of hesitation, she chants the spell's name and fires it off.

[Chain Dragon Lightning]!

Meeting the spell, Gabriel crossed his forearms in front of him to block the attack and braced himself for the impact. Within less than a nanosecond, the spell engulfs him in an explosion of blue sparks and electrons that arcs to the surrounding areas, causing additional damage. Tears silently fell from Astraea's cheeks as she beheld the sight.

Although she knew that would not do harm to Gabriel, it still pained her heart to launch an attack spell towards her lord under these circumstances. Likewise, Cassiel behind her also shed tears at not being able to intervene. Still, they both understood that this was their doing, and were bound to follow through with their lord's orders. Steeling herself, Astraea readied another spell in the same manner and launched another, stronger spell.

[Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lightning]!

Once again, similar results, but with increased power and effectiveness, causing greater damage to the area. Gabriel himself could not be seen due to the dust and debris that the spells were kicking up. Regardless of this, Astraea performed another attack.

[Twin Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lightning]!

And again, similar results, with a marked increase in destruction, as well as an increase in the self loathing that Astraea and Cassiel started to feel for themselves for playing a part in this to happen. Still, there was only one more attack to perform, and all of it would be over. So Astraea launched the last attack with a pain filled voice.

[Triple Maximize Magic: Chain Dragon Lightning]!

The magical attack was the most fearsome thus far, causing the most damage out of the previous ones. For a moment there was only silence as the dust and debris filled the area where Gabriel was standing. Then there was a sudden gust of air that blew these impediments away, and as the dust cleared, there stood Gabriel with sword in hand as if he had used one forceful, horizontal swing to produce that gust to clear the area.

His raiment was charred black, along with some black spots on his hair and face, but he otherwise seemed unharmed. He placed his sword on his back, and as he walked forward with a blank expression, his sight focused on Cassiel and Astraea. The two NPC guardians did not know what to expect, but as Gabriel came upon Astraea, whom he towered over by a wide margin, he spread his arms and lifted her up in a warm embrace.

"Eek!~"

Astraea squeaked in surprise as the action, but she felt no hostility from her master. She in fact felt feelings of compassion, warmth, and regret in his arms. She returned this with an embrace of her own as joy and warmth flooded her heart, which then increased ten-fold when Gabriel gave her a long and warm kiss to her left cheek. She shuddered in delight from the action as Astraea was mentally jumping for joy like a schoolgirl who had received a great gift from her favorite idol.

 _'KYAA!~ Lord Gabriel's lips... were on my cheek! Kyaa!~ He's so firm, but soft and warm! AHHH!~ My lord is coool!'_

Her moment of bliss was cut short when he slowly, and gently set her down and then approached Cassiel. She seemed calm as Gabriel closed in, and then gave her a full hug much like he did Astraea. She could feel his compassion and warmth in his hold as she returned his embrace, with joy and relief filling her thoughts.

 _'Ah~. My lord. To feel your compassionate touch and presence... it truly is the greatest of gifts. Thank you...'_

Cassiel found herself drawn away from her thoughts as Gabriel then gave her a kiss to her cheek in much the same fashion as he did Astraea. However, her reaction was quite different as her face became red as a tomato, and hot to the touch as she shuddered in his embrace. Her breathing became shallow and irregular as she gulped oxygen in her nervous state. Gabriel slowly released his hold on her, much to her own visible regret as he then motioned for her to follow him.

He walked forward as he gestured for her to stand beside Astraea. He turned around and then spoke in a low and regretful tone.

"I am truly sorry I had to put you two through that, but I hope you have learned the valuable lessons I had to teach from it. One of the most crucial is that actions will have consequences, both positive and negative. Always keep that in mind. Do either of you have any questions?"

There was a moment of silence as he posed his question, and the two guardians looked at each other, and nodded as Cassiel then spoke up.

"My lord, if I may, you have nothing to apologize for. It is we who were in the wrong, and you needn't worry. We understand your intent, and I could sense that this pained you as well, did it not my lord?"

Gabriel did not speak, but gave a light nod as a reply before Cassiel continued to speak while going to a kneeling position along with Astraea.

"As your guardians and creations of comrades who could not join you on this journey, it is we who must apologize to you for burdening you with our folly. We hereby swear not to repeat our mistake, and shall continue to faithfully serve you."

Cassiel completes their pledge with a solemn determination before she looks up to see their lord smiling warmly upon them. Gabriel then kneels in front of them, and places a hand on each of their shoulders.

"I can feel your sincerity, and accept your apology and oath. All is forgiven."

It was all they could do to hold back their tears of joy and relief as the two guardians took in his words. It did not help matters when Gabriel then gently rubbed their heads to comfort them. It only lasted a few seconds as he then took their shoulders and gently nudged them to stand. They continued to keep their eyes on him as he then spoke.

"Do not worry. I have already healed myself from the damage done. Also, you have my thanks Astraea. Because of you following my instructions to the letter, I was able to successfully confirm something about the Yogg I had fought."

"Oh?~ Then I'm glad I could help you my lord. So what did you learn?~" Astraea asked with a childlike smile, head-tilt, and a disarmingly cute voice.

"Your use of that 7th-tier lightning attack was impressive, and was very similar to the one the Yogg used. However, there was one crucial difference: its single stage 'Maximize Magic' was equal in power to your 'Twin Maximize Magic' version. In other words, even as a lvl-90 opponent, its ability to enhance base magical spells rivaled yours. Had it been a lvl-100, my battle would have likely been far more perilous."

The faces of the guardians went through stages of surprise, disbelief, and then focused seriousness. Indeed, this new information was invaluable, which made their punishment all but worth it in their eyes. Realizing this, they bowed toward their master with ever increasing respect and reverence. Same can be said of Lynal Dexx, who had watched the events unfold alongside Charon, who began to speak as they both approached.

"Pardon the intrusion master, but since you will soon begin your training in seclusion, at what points during each day are we permitted to contact you for normal updates?"

Gabriel smiled internally as his creation thought to ask such an important question before he could address it himself. He turned his head to answer Charon's query in a firm but neutral tone of voice.

"Barring unusual or otherwise unforeseen events, my days will begin at 0600. Ensure that meals are brought over at that time, as well as at 1200 and 1800 hours. It is during those times that would be best used to contact and update me on the Keep's status."

"By your command, my master."

"Very good. Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx, unless they have been cleared by either myself, or the previously named parties, no one is to disturb me. If I need anything I'll contact you to make arrangements. For now, your place of duty is to remain outside this training chamber to enforce its isolation during my 'active' times. Am I understood?"

"Oh, yes! Perfectly my lord!" The incubus NPC excitedly replied.

"Now, unless there is anything else, you are all dismissed. I need to begin my training forthwith."

"By your command, lord!" The four NPCs earnestly replied in unison.

As they began to file out of the training chamber Gabriel sank deeply into thought.

 _'Alright, before I begin I need to plan this out. Back in YGGDRASIL, although I was max-level, the XP counter remained, since there were many skills and items that would use and even drain XP. Right after my victory over Bwynleah, I literally exploded with power in a "level-up" event. Before the transfer, my XP bar was 99% full. Putting these pieces of the puzzle together, it's safe to conclude that although I lost levels, my reserve XP carried over somehow. Defeating the wielder of a World Class Item solo pushed me over my limits and triggered my level-up. Although this is a real, living breathing world, some of these rules still oddly apply. That being the case, how far I can go in a month of training alone? This'll be an important question to answer. Furthermore, I need to find my "center" again. This body is different enough to have thrown me off my combat proficiency...'_

Gabriel thoughts trail off as he hears the *SLAM!* of the training chamber entrance, and he begins his training by first summoning his emerald flames in much the same way he did in his fight with Bwynleah. His roars of pain from the recoil echos throughout the chamber and shakes the very walls, along with the blastwave of emerald flames that explode outward with Gabriel in the center.

Outside the training chamber, the group of four reel back as they hear and feel Gabriel summoning forth his power. Even the normally stoic Charon seemed startled by the outpouring of power that made his comrades sweat profusely. Intent on breaking the silence that was developing he decided to speak up as jets of steam were expelled from his full-headed helm.

"I shall take my leave, now that the master has begun his training."

"A-Ah, yes! R-Right. I shall remain as ordered by our lord." Lynal stammered to say with a bow, still clearly affected by the presence of Gabriel's power.

"Be well Charon. I hope to see you on the 6th-floor sometime.~" Cassiel says with a cordial and gentle tone.

"Likewise, Lady Cassiel."

"Hey, Charon!~ Be sure to tell your sisters in the treasury I said 'Hi!'. I'd like to see them sometime, so be sure to bring them when you visit the 3rd-floor!" Astraea cheerfully says.

"I will. And thank you." Charon cordially replies as he then vanishes in a flash of shadow.

When he does, Astraea and Cassiel then look to each other in an awkward silence with blank expressions on their faces. They continue on like this for about sixty-six seconds when Cassiel glances at Lynal Dexx at the corner of her right eye, and smiles with an amused chuckle before speaking in a calm and cool tone.

"My dear Lynal, perhaps it is not wise to gaze upon the 'loli of destruction' in such a lewd manner.~"

"Eeeeeh?!" Astraea exclaims in shock as her eyes dart toward the named area guardian.

"Eh?! P-Perish the thought milady! I did no such a thing!" Lynal emphatically says as he raises his hands up in earnest.

Astraea stares down Lynal with suspicious eyes and then smirks.

"What? I'm not good enough to lewd?~ I suppose you like big chests like ol' thunder-tits over here?" She says mockingly, pointing towards Cassiel.

"Ah, no! I mean maybe. I just... I don't..." Lynal stammers, not at all sure what to say as he is assailed by the intense stares of the two floor guardians.

After a brief moment, a chuckle is heard from Cassiel and Astraea as they turn to leave, with Cassiel speaking gently to Lynal as they do so.

"Be at ease, Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx. It is a mere jest. We will be off now. Take care.~"

"A-Ah! Of course. He he. Be well!" Lynal says with a bow as they depart.

As they do he thinks to himself.

 _'By the creators! Those two women are among the most fearsome in the Keep. Even I dare not try to approach them, even if I'd like to...'_

Meanwhile, as Lynal was lost in his thoughts, Cassiel and Astraea were walking casually next to each other in the shining halls of the 8th-floor in silence. This silence persisted for a few minutes before Astraea would speak up in a neutral tone.

"Hey, Cassiel. Mind if I tell you something?"

"Hm? Not at all. Please do." Cassiel replies in an equally neutral tone.

"I reeeally don't like you..."

"Ara.~ I know. The feeling is mutual."

"...But we'd be fools not to heed the wisdom of our master after everything."

"Hm. I concur."

"So... truce?~" Astraea asks with a childlike smile.

Their gazes meet from the corners of their eyes as they continued walking. They both then smile as Cassiel warmly replies.

"Ara.~ Not at all. Lord Gabriel said it himself. We needn't like each other to work and serve together. Correct?"

"He he he.~ Yeup! ...Huh? Wow... Did we just agree on something?~"

"My dear pipsqueak, we will always be in agreement when it comes to our master, will we not?~"

"He he he. We sure would, thunder-tits... So!~ Wanna get something to eat?" Astraea asks with a childish grin.

"Hm? Oh, sure. Why not?~" Cassiel replies with a soft voice and smile.

The two then continue on in silence, having finally reached a mutual understanding with each other. Thanks to their master, there would be no more threats of violence. Just the simple agreement that they are comrades and allies living and working under the same roof and banner, serving the same master whom they both respect and adore from the bottom of their hearts.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Training Chamber-4  
-1 Month Later, 5:30PM-**

It had been one month since Gabriel had secluded himself for training. One month since those of the Keep, outside a select few had seen him. Today was the day that would all change as four figures waited outside the training chamber's double doors. They were Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx, 2nd-Floor Guardian Leona Sandra Etana, and the Commander and Vice-Commander of the Keep's forces respectively, Walter Bernard Montgomery and Tamura Oakenfold.

As they waited, the incubus NPC Lynal spoke inquisitively.

"Pardon me Commander Walter, but were you given anymore information as to the nature of your summons here?"

Walter pushes up his glasses and answers in a calm, gentlemanly tone.

"I'm afraid not, Guard-Captain. The [Message] only stated for us to be present."

"Ah. Pity." Lynal said in a low, disappointed tone.

Leona then tackle hugs Lynal from behind and starts rubbing her right cheek against his left, eliciting a blushing smile from him. Walter and Tamura see this and grin at the scene as they continue to patiently await their master to emerge. Meanwhile, Leona cheerfully speaks to Lynal.

"Nyaw ha ha! Nyow down't be like that, Lynal cutie! Awt least I'm here to keep you company.~"

"A-Ah. You have my thanks, Lady Leona. Perhaps we may share some drinks after this?"

"Hm? Sure!~" Leona cheerfully replies.

As she then kisses Lynal on the cheek several times, he thinks to himself with a calm and comfortable smile.

 _'Aaah. Lady Leona's company is most enjoyable. Perhaps spending some time together would be more of a possibility than...'_

*TAP,TAP,TAP*

Just then everyone's attention is diverted to the chamber doors as they all hear a light tapping sound emanating from it. Suddenly, they forcefully burst open with a large *BOOM* sound, briefly startling everyone present. Clouds of dust and steam flow out of the chamber and into the halls, obscuring vision for a moment as they all notice a tall figure standing in its midst.

As the dust clears, it becomes obvious to all those present that it was their Lord Gabriel, standing almost triumphantly as he comes into their view. However, when he does fully emerge, expressions of shock and surprise are painted over their faces at the sight. He stood in place wearing nought but a torn set of shorts, revealing his scarred, dirty, and muscular physique. This was enough of a shock as the only ones who had seen his scars were Tamura and the Head Doctor, Althia Tanos.

The extra shock came when his face had come into view and they saw that their master had a full faced beard that matched his golden blonde hair. They had never seen their master with such an appearance, and all were awestruck at the sight. Walter seemed to compose himself after a moment, and smirked as he took a moment to study the expressions of his nearby comrades.

Tamura, Leona, and Lynal all had blushing and "admiring" looks on their faces as it then became apparent that their "interest" in Gabriel's new look had gone beyond aesthtics. As amusing as Walter found the scene to be, he performed an exaggerated coughing sound to force everyone out of whatever daydreams were filling their heads. The action worked and embarrassed looks flashed across their faces as they realized what they had been doing. They were going to bow in apology when another sight froze them.

It was the look in Gabriel's eyes. He always had an intense, far reaching gaze. It was the mark of someone who had lived long and seen much, but it was a bit different now. The sight was much more intense and pronounced. There was power in his gaze, along with a focused discipline and hardened look that complimented the stoic expression on his face. If one needed to describe how it felt, the phrase "silent volcano", would be apt.

"Good, you're all here. Follow me into the chamber, and close it on your way in." Gabriel said in commanding tones filled with strength and discipline.

They all silently bowed, and then followed their instructions. As they did they continued to be both awed and perplexed. Other than his looks there were other, more subtle changes to him. They felt that he was stronger than the last time they had seen him, but at the same time, he felt more closed off. It was as if his emotions were now under lock and key, but still simmering under the surface like boiling lava.

As they came to the central part of the chamber, they noticed how everything seemed to be in one piece and found it odd. It was then that Gabriel stopped walking, and turned around to face them with arms folded as he spoke.

"I had Charon effect repairs last night before calling you all here. Now then, let me brief you as to what my intentions are..."

Gabriel paused as he noted that the four to his front were completely focused on him.

"Last night I was able to 'level-up'. I'm now at lvl-97."

"Oooooh!"

They all at once had expressions of awe as Lynal raised his hand to speak. Gabriel then acknowledged him with a nod, whom spoke with an inquisitive tone.

"My lord, if I may, yesterday there was one final enormous explosion that shook most of this area. Was that event your level-up?"

"Indeed it was, Lynal. Afterward, I spent the evening in meditation as I acclimated to the change. You did well to notice that."

"I-I am unworthy of such praise my lord!" Lynal hurried said as he took a bow.

"Oh, yes. I had almost forgotten. Don't refer to yourself as 'unworthy'. It offends me."

"Yes! By your command, my Lord Gabriel!" Lynal excitedly replies as he takes a bow, with a slight blush to his face.

The others notice this and smirk, especially Leona who giggles mischievously. Gabriel seemed indifferent as he then started to speak again in a firm, but neutral tone.

"Now, I wish to test the fruits of my training in a 1-on-1 match, while the rest of you watch, observe, and learn from it. Understood?"

"Lord!" They all say in unison.

Lynal on the other hand shivers at the thought of someone fighting their master. Lynal recalled how his master withstood four lightning attacks from Astraea one month ago, and with no serious damage to his person. His thoughts go through the last month of standing guard over the chamber, remembering the area shaking tremors, the intense animalistic roars, and the waves of extreme magical heat that flooded the area.

He recalled the feelings of unease and outright dread he experienced as he felt their master's power flow outwards from the chamber. To put it simply, he was fearful for whoever would have the "honor" of being chosen to battle him, and was not envious in the slightest. Before he could think further on it, Gabriel spoke up.

"For this match, I have chosen you, Leona Sandra Etana."

"Eh? Weally my lorwd? I am honored to be chowsen, but I'm sorwy I won't be able to give the challenge to test my lorwd as he wishes..." Leona says dejectedly as her ears droop.

"If I were fighting fully equipped, and using my [Gift of the Emerald Flame], that would be a fair assessment. However, in this case that won't be happening. I'll be fighting you as I am now, with you being the only one to use their full panoply. That way, we will both be adequately tested."

"Eh? But, um... fowrgive me my lorwd, but I might do harm to you like that..."

Her words are cut off as Gabriel snaps his fingers to silence her and to gain everyone's attention.

"I know you feel uneasy, but this is the training method I've used with my godmother and Alisha in the past. They both had a philosophy, one in which I share, that true training is the kind that pushes one's limits, with the threat of injury to keep one alert and sharp. People, like metal, need to be properly forged in order to be ready for whatever life may throw at them. This test isn't just for my benefit, but for yours. You're no doubt thinking that because of our differences in levels and equipment, that you'll have the advantage. It's my intent to show you, and everyone else, how conceited and naive that thinking is. Do you understand?"

"Oooowh! Nyow I get it. As expected of owur lorwd!"

"Huh. It appears you do. Let me be clear on something else. You will come at me with 100% of your ability, and with killing intent. If you fail to do this, expect your defeat, and subsequent punishment to be quite harsh."

Gabriel finished his last comment with a deathly seriousness that had all those present shudder. Leona felt as if an icicle had been lodged in her spine as Gabriel's piercing gaze locked with her own eyes. She was hesitant to fight her master under these conditions, but knew she could not disobey. Hardening her resolve, an uncharacteristic seriousness washed over her expression as she bowed.

"By your command, my lorwd."

"Very good. The rest of you, go to the 'waiting-room' and watch from there. You shall start where I am standing, Leona. My starting position will be in front of the doors."

They all bowed in acknowledgement of his instructions as they each did as they were told. Leona took her position, whilst Walter took hold of Lynal's arm, and with Tamura used their rings to teleport to the waiting-room just below the ceiling. In the game it was used as a place for guild-members to watch over sparring matches, and in the event of invasion, watch over the progress of intruders. Since the 8th-floor was never invaded, that purpose was never fulfilled.

As the three NPCs watch Gabriel slowly take position, Tamura spoke up in silky smooth tones as she smirked.

"What do you think, Walter? Will Leona be able to handle it?"

Walter pushed up his glasses as he assessed the soon to unfold match below. After a few moments in replied in a calm and analytical tone.

"Despite their differences in levels, I am sure Lord Gabriel will emerge triumphant. After all, he has abilities at his disposal that lay outside his flames and equipment. In addition, from what the Lady Alisha once told us, Lord Gabriel has over 200 years of fighting and combat experience. While Leona might be able to put up a decent resistance, I doubt she'll be able to emerge victorious."

"Oh? He he. Seems we were thinking the same thing.~" Tamura says in an amused tone.

"Hm. I concur Commander Walter and Vice-Commander Tamura. After watching over this chamber for a month, 'tis safe to say that Lady Leona is out of her depth..."

Both Walter and Tamura look at Lynal Dexx with impressed looks on their faces. They then look toward the chamber, noticing that Gabriel had taken position and appeared ready to begin.

"Well, let us watch over this event. I am certain that everyone in the Keep would be able to learn something from this." Tamura says with certainty in her voice.

Down below, a stare down took place as Gabriel stood motionless, and Leona had already equipped her divine-class weapon, [Artemis' 6-Elements Bow]. It was teal and platinum in color with 6 different colored jewels adorning its body of white, red, sky-blue, green, normal blue, and yellow. Its bowstring glowed like a prism filled with the cascading light of a rainbow's colors.

The bow was formidable, as it had six different "modes", each imbuing an arrow fired from it with different elemental effects. Although, it had two weaknesses that could be taken advantage of, if one were clever.

First, whenever a mode was activated, the bowstring would then change color to the element being used, which would alert her opponent of which element to watch out for. The elements used, corresponded to the color of the glowing jewels on the body of the bow itself. The color "sky-blue" for magical damage,"red" was for fire, "blue" for ice, "green" for earth, "yellow" for lighting, and "white" for holy damage. When a mode was not active, it reverted to its current state, dealing only physical, piercing damage.

Second, while the idea of a multi-elemental bow sounded dangerous on paper, each individual arrow by itself, did not do much damage. Thus it necessitated the use of skills, multiple attacks, or even whole barrages to inflict a great deal of damage on a target, depending the quality of their defenses and equipment.

As Gabriel watched his soon to be opponent, he was already well aware of these facts as he sank into thought on the battle ahead.

 _'If Leona's settings hold true, she'll take to the air the moment I move a muscle. Once in the air, she'll start a barrage. In the game it was random which element she'd start out with, but now that she's sentient, she'll most likely start out with either the lightning or the fire element, due to my unequipped state. Staying on the move will be the key, and then shock her thought processes with unexpected actions...'_

Concluding his train of thought, Gabriel's muscles tensed and contracted with veins visibly coming to the skin's surface. He then shot forward like a bullet in a fast moving blur that kicked up dust and debris behind him. With equally astounding speed, Leona took to the air the moment Gabriel was on the move. Their near simultaneous actions created a *BOOM*, sound that reverberated throughout the chamber.

Gabriel overshot Leona's original position, with his back wide open, as she then took aim with her bow as she thought to herself.

 _'Forgive me, my lorwd. Imma' only followin' your orders...'_

With that final thought that was akin to a prayer, her bow's "mode" shifted to the color red, and activated a skill as she released her taut bowstring.

[Rain of Arrows]

Like a hail of fire from an exploding volcano, a large barrage of over two dozen bright crimson arrows erupts from her bow, all converging on a single target. There seemed to be no escape, but then a subtle grin flashed over Gabriel's face, as if a plan suddenly had come together. With the same blinding speed and force he had shown earlier, he threw himself backwards, nearly avoiding the entire barrage.

The ones that he could not avoid, he either caught bare handed between each of his fingers, or batted away with the backs of his hands.

"Nyaa?!" Leona exclaimed with mouth agape.

For a few seconds the NPC was motionless in shock, which Gabriel wasted no time in taking advantage of. He kicked the ground beneath him to halt his movement and to spin in place. Adding extra centrifugal force to his already herculean strength, he then launched ten of her own flaming arrows back at her.

Snapping out of her shock, Leona was just a nanosecond too slow in avoiding all of her own arrows, with one clipping her on her left leg, one grazing the left side of her abdomen, and two blowing through her wings, causing pain and fire damage. Instantly she used a burst of speed to gain more altitude and zigzagged eight times in seemingly random directions until she came to a stop.

The two then stared each other down as a look of confusion painted over Leona's face, whilst Gabriel was the picture of calm and stoicism. She then looked to Gabriel's hands and saw that they were smoking, but were otherwise unharmed. As she was attempting to process these events Gabriel mulled to himself.

 _'Just as expected. The instant she takes a hit, she'll go on the move in different directions before coming to a stop. She did not expect me to have increased fire resistance without equipping my armor. A benefit of having merged with it. Now then, she'll switch her bow to a different mode, most likely lightning, and then take action using one or more of her "other" special skills...'_

As Gabriel concluded his line of thought, Leona went on the move as she then flew in a circular pattern. Like a jet-fighter, she burst with blinding speed leaving only blurred images in her wake. Meanwhile, Gabriel kept a close eye on her movements with a keen patience and unmatched focus. He then heard, barely audible speech through the loud, roaring dusts of wind that Leona was creating in her wake.

[Breath Composition: Panic]

With that last word, Gabriel's eyes widened and his body started to shake and convulse uncontrollably as he went to one knee.

 _'Ah, thought so. She used these high winds she's creating to try conceal the fact she was going to use this skill. Only problem with that, is my senses are far above the norm for a conventional warrior type. Thanks to the enhancements of [Blood Magic], I can fortify my mental defenses the instant I feel something is amiss. I just need to play along so as to catch her of guard...'_

In that moment, as if in response to his thoughts, five shining yellow arrows with electrical sparks came rushing towards his back. Leaping into the air at the last minute, Gabriel then spun his body in place, and collected the lightning imbued arrows in both his hands. Then, before his feet even touched the ground, he spun his body again in one swift motion, and launched the caught arrows in a seemingly random direction.

As sparks faded from his body, which seemed to have no effect whatsoever, the arrows flew into the cyclone overhead created by Leona. Then a scream echos throughout the chamber as they do.

"NYAAA!"

Just then the cyclone stops, Leona zigzags around the chamber, and then emerges with a sparking gash across her left cheek. She looks down upon her master, looking quite perturbed as she does.

 _'She's flustered. She now knows without a doubt that her ranged attacks will be useless if she doesn't pin me down somehow, or resort to her big attacks. She'll most likely try the former before the latter...'_

Gabriel's inner predictions held true once again as Leona started to dart around the chamber in zigzag patterns. He was following her movements with his eyes when his hearing caught a faint, whisper-like voice chanting an attack name.

[Shadow-Piercing Arrow]

Responding immediately, Gabriel dodged to the right, and then cartwheel flipped to the left before taking off in a sprint, utilizing super-human levels of speed that could easily rival a lvl-100.

 _'I was right. An arrow combined with this skill can immobilize the target, if the arrow hits its shadow. Provided that she uses only regular arrows with this skill. I should be able to dodge these all day if necessary, but I can tell she's getting into this, despite her earlier hesitation. She's probably thinking that I can't risk touching these arrows, and if I do she might win this. That thinking is naive...'_

During the course of his inner musings, Gabriel had successfully managed to dodge a total of twenty-five arrows, and was about to enact a plan of action, when suddenly Leona chanted another attack name.

[Ricochet Shot]

Suddenly, arrows fired from Leona's bow bounce off columns, walls, and the floor, and glows the color blue, signifying they would deal magic damage. With the skill she had used, her arrows would bounce off surfaces at an angle directed towards her intended target for a total of three times before the magic in the arrows dissipates. Knowing this, Gabriel continues to dodge with graceful agility as he mulls over this new event.

 _'Well, well. An actual surprise. The guardians can learn and adapt in battle. With this skill I won't be able to judge the trajectories of the arrows enough to be able to both dodge and send them back as readily as before. That's mostly likely her thinking. As much as I'd like to prove her wrong, I need to end this before she starts using her big moves...'_

Then like a super-human gymnast, Gabriel deftly dodges and flips around the arrows as he moves in the direction of a stone wall with column. Leona does not fail to notice this.

 _'Nya? Is my lorwd thinkin' of taking cowver? Sorwy, but I will give my best!~'_

Leona then readies her bow, and aims it above it her head as it shines with an intense yellow brightness that illuimnates nearly every part of the chamber. Gabriel hurriedly dives towards the column, fully realizing what is happening.

[Storm of Arrows]!

In an explosive flash, an innumerable amount of lightning imbued arrows rains down upon the entirety of the chamber. Arcs of yellow lightning and balls of explosive electric energy fills the chamber as the ground shakes from the numerous impacts, and entire structures are reduced to pebbles. After thirty-five seconds of this, the attack subsides and the chamber is filled with dust and debris.

Up in the waiting room, Walter, Tamura, and Lynal had been watching the entire match in a calm demeanor that looked forced at times. After Leona had unleashed her latest attack, they seemed visibly worried as Lynal broke the silence that had persisted.

"I-Is Lord Gabriel going to be alright? I know I said he would emerge victorious, but even he cannot remain unscathed from an attack such as this."

At first there was no reply as Walter narrowed his eyes towards the scene, and Tamura took in deep breaths before answering.

"Let us continue to watch in silence, my dear Lynal. I know it goes against our instincts as his guardians to not rush down to his aid, or to check on his condition, but let us not forget something important: Lord Gabriel emerged the victor against the wielder of a World Class Item, alone. Let us have faith in him."

"A-Ah. Yes. It is as you say, vice-commander." Lynal says, still visibly worried.

Back in the chamber, the dust clouds begin to settle, and when visibility is adequate for all those present, there was a collective gasp as Gabriel was nowhere to be found. For a moment there was panic and worry as the eyes of the four NPCs searched frantically to see a sign of him. There was nothing, not even a speck of blood to indicate his presence.

This was confounding to all present, and especially to Leona, who knew her skill would not pulverize a body into nothingness. This told her only one thing: her master was hiding somewhere.

 _'Nyow I see. As expected of Lorwd Gabriel. He knew he couldn't defend fowr long, so he is hidin' fowr a sneak attack. Nyot that will work. Imma' a top level ranger after all.~'_

Leona proceeded to focus her senses to their utmost, scanning the area for any sign of Gabriel, and after a moment her eyes widened in shock.

 _'H-How?! I... I can't sense Lorwd Gabriel! Even his scent is gone! B-But that can't be! He's a close wange fighter/warrior, with nyo gear fowr stealth, and he didn't teleporwt either. I would've sensed it. So how...?!'_

Leona is forced from her thoughts as a burst of energy explodes to her right side, and a pillar of lightning heads straight for her. She swiftly dodges it, but was utterly confused by the sudden attack and its origins. She didn't have time to mull on this riddle as another burst of energy shot out from the ground, in the form of bright orange flames.

Then there was another burst of lightning, followed closely by a stream of ice particles from a freezing spell, and then another burst of energy that shot out a stream of acid towards her. Like aerial ballet, she deftly and gracefully dodged each attack that were clearly magic attack spells, which only further served to confound her.

 _'What is gowin' on?! Nyone of this makes sense!... Wait! Did Lorwd Gabriel set twaps?!'_

Before she could think any further on the topic, she found herself assailed by three more spells from the front and sides. She avoided them, but at the exact moment she did, a presence burst forth from the stone floor beneath her. She did not even have time to turn around to check her backside, as Gabriel suddenly appeared, with his arms spread wide, and with the muscles and veins bulging almost twice their size.

With a swift and powerful motion, his arms shot closed, with his hands performing a thunderous, booming clap, right next to Leona's long ears.

"GUHAAAAH!"

The sudden ear-piercing sound forced into her eardrums caused her a great deal of pain and disoriented her, causing Leona to unknowingly drop her bow as she reached to cradle her ears. Swatting her hands away, Gabriel latched onto her waist with his feet. He then clapped his hands over her ears in an ear-slap attack that had coupled physical damaged on top of auditory damage. During the entire exchange his thoughts raced...

 _'Leona. The one weakness you have that wasn't addressed, due to the nature of the game, is your vulnerability to sound based assaults, due to your exceptional hearing that your racial traits grant you. Although sonic based attacks did exist in YGGDRASIL, most of the idiots that tried to invade relied on conventional types of attacks. Thanks to this, you were never given any defenses against it. Something to correct later...'_

As he concluded his musings, Gabriel tackled Leona, whom at this point was too disoriented to remain aloft. As they tumbled downward, Gabriel swiftly repositioned himself to where his knees dug into her lower back, whilst he pulled back on her legs. When they crashed into the ground, her face and abdomen facing downward bore the brunt of the impact, with inertia forcing Gabriel's knees into her, doubling the damage.

Wasting no time, he repositioned his grapple hold, flipping her over and wrapped his arms and legs around her in a figure-four body lock. Then his right hand went to her throat, which suddenly changed form as its muscles contracted, veins bulged, and his fingernails grew into something more akin to claws or talons. He gently placed his newly formed claws around her throat, which slightly bled on contact.

"You've lost." He tersely says.

Leona, by sheer force of will alone, was still conscious. Her ears were still ringing as if the screech of a banshee was inside her head, and could not quite hear Gabriel's words. But in reality she didn't need to. Weakly grinning, she uttered two simple words...

"I yield.~"

With that admission, Gabriel emerged the victor. He gently removed his hold on Leona, who was still disoriented, and kept himself kneeling next to her. Meanwhile, Lynal, Walter, and Tamura up above were in awe of his victory, and looked ready to burst into fervent conversation and praise for their master, when they then saw him waving them over to his location.

As before, Walter grabbed onto Lynal's arm, and the three of them teleported down to Gabriel's side. He was still kneeling next to a disoriented Leona, and though Tamura did not consider Leona to be heavily injured, she surmised it was Gabriel's compassion at work before gently speaking.

"My lord, if you'll allow me, I will begin healing Guardian Leona at once."

"That won't be necessary, Tamura. I will handle it." Gabriel softly replies.

For a moment they were confused by their master's reply. They knew that Gabriel had no healing items with him during the course of his training, so it begged the question of how he would heal Leona. The answer would not be what they were expecting, as Gabriel then used his clawed right hand to pierce his left, letting his blood flow.

Cradling Leona's head gently with his right hand, he positioned his bleeding left hand over her mouth. She looked up at him with confusion, to which he simply nodded and smiled as he said a single word...

"Drink."

Although still unsure as to the reason behind it, she complied with her order, and after extending her tongue out, she cupped her mouth under Gabriel's hand so as to drink in his ever flowing blood. As she did this for a few seconds she felt lightheaded and warm on the inside as she lost herself in her thoughts, with an intoxicated look on her face.

 _'Nyaaa.~ Lorwd Gabriel's blood... it's so warm, and sweeeeet. Hmm. Moar pweez.~'_

This went on for about thirty seconds before the wound on his hand slowly healed shut, and the blood flow ceased, eliciting a visible, disappointed look her face. Gabriel briefly smirked, thinking it was cute, before his expression became neutral once again, and he placed his hand on her chest. He closed his eyes in concentration, while those present, except for Walter, had blushing looks on their faces.

Suddenly, Leona shined with a crimson glow, as an unfamiliar warmth spread all over her body. She smiled gleefully as she stretched her limbs like a cat waking from a nap.

"Nyaaa.~"

"W-What is this?" Lynal said in fascination and awe.

Neither Walter nor Tamura replied as they too watched on in awe. After a moment the lightheadedness and warm feelings faded, and as Leona came to her senses, she found all her injuries, pain, and discomfort had vanished. Though the feeling was different from a potion, the effect was the same: she was fully healed. She looked herself over in awe and confusion, and then saw her master extending his right hand to her.

Understanding his intentions, she took it and he lifted both of them to their feet as he then spoke gently to her.

"How do you feel?"

"Um... Imma' compwetely healed my lorwd! How'd you do that?" Leona askes excitedly.

"To put it simply, I used my blood as a medium to transfer a portion of my life-force over to you to heal your body. This is an application of what is known as [Blood Magic]. With it I can, among other things, enhance and alter my physical attributes, enhance my senses, and heal and regenerate myself and others. Alisha was a master of this art, and it was her final gift to me. Still, I cannot use it and my [Emerald Flames] simultaneously, and must be careful on how I balance them. Otherwise, the consequences would be... dangerous."

All present were shocked at the revelation, although Tamura and Walter seemed to be the least shocked of the group. They knew their master's blood was charged with an unknown magic, and his words only served to confirm that which they already knew. Before anyone could inquire further, Gabriel spoke in a calm tone.

"Now Leona, pay attention. It's time for you and everyone else to learn some things from this match."

"O-Oh! Uh, owkay!~"

Leona only briefly stammered her reply as she followed her instructions. As much as she wanted to learn more of [Blood Magic], her master's orders took priority over her own curiosity, especially since the topic involved the now deceased Alisha. Standing with her hands behind her back, she dutifully awaited her master's council. With the calm and collected demeanor of a mentor and teacher, Gabriel began to speak.

"First, you should've realized that as your master, I would be well versed on your stats, equipment, and abilities. This made you somewhat easy to predict and counter as needed. When facing a foe who may have such information, it'll always be prudent to find ways to be unpredictable. You demonstrated this briefly at one point, but it was too little, too late. To give an example, whenever you 'zigzag' in the air, you have a habit of following the same directions and patterns three to four times before coming to a stop. Additionally, your racial traits that give you your excellent hearing also made you vulnerable, as I'm sure you can attest."

Leona could only nod as a cute pouting expression came over her, as she gently rubbed her long, fur covered ears. Her attention then went back to her master, who continued on his lesson.

"Second, you assumed too much of what I could do. A prime example of this was when you used fire arrows against me, thinking I would be vulnerable to flame without my armor. That would've applied to other humanoids, but in my case that is no longer true. Recall that my armor is now one with me. I now have a higher resistance to fire element as a result. Another example was when I was able to hide my presence from you. I wasn't always a warrior. In my youth I worked as a mercenary of sorts, and one of the things that entailed was staying hidden. When the enhancements of [Blood Magic] had been combined with those past experiences, hiding my presence became all too easy. Point being, never assume too much of what a foe can do. That can and will open you to quite a few deadly surprises, as I had clearly demonstrated throughout the match."

Shock painted the faces of all those present at the small revelation of their master's past experiences. Each NPC, including the ever calm and poker-faced Walter, stole sideways glances of each other as they allowed this new information to sink in. Before they could indulge in their curiosity, Gabriel snapped his fingers once, refocusing their attention back to him as he continued speaking.

"Lastly, never allow an opponent to choose the time and place for battle, if it can be avoided. The terrain, and a foe's preparations within it, can and will be used to their advantage. As you may have guessed, before your arrival I had set traps using various types of [Sealing Crystals], which I remotely activated using [Blood Magic]. As you were distracted, I used a pre-made underground tunnel to sneak over to your position. The same applies to the lightning arrows you used..."

Gabriel paused briefly in contemplation, trying to arrange his words in a way that would make sense for all present.

"... The energy produced from lightning, and its effects were greatly diminished when I used [Blood Magic] to boost my tolerance levels. Also, since I was not touching the ground when I threw them back, the 'paths' or 'flow' of the energy couldn't discharge properly. In addition, you may not know this, but the content of moisture in the air can help carry the lightning element's current. Since this chamber's air moisture content is almost nonexistent, lightning arrows effectiveness was dampened even more. With all of these factors, I was able to create advantages for myself throughout the match. Do you understand? WHERE you fight, can be just as important as HOW you fight."

Seemingly concluding his lesson, Lynal and Leona were wide-eyed with their mouths agape in awe and reverence. During Gabriel's lecture they eagerly drank in every last word of wisdom he had to offer, and could only stand in place dumbstruck from all he had revealed to them. Tamura and Walter were less shocked, and had smirks on their faces as the gazed upon the other two NPCs.

They had sat in on many meetings of the High Lords of Dracon's Keep in the past, which included many tactical and strategic planning sessions. They recalled how it was Gabriel who planned the vast majority of their deployments and battle strategies, and while he was always open to suggestion and opinions, their memories showed a man whom was prudent and shrewd. They smiled as the image in their minds matched the one they saw now. Their thoughts were halted by Leona's exuberant exclamations and bowing.

"As expected of Lorwd Gabriel! Youwr power and wisdom is fowrmidable! I'll remember youwr lessons without fail!~"

Gabriel stepped forward upon completion of Leona's praises and placed his right hand on her left shoulder. She tensed for a moment, before then looking up like a cute girl, both curious and anxious as to what her master would say. Her face blushed as she saw Gabriel smiling down on her, and gently guiding her back up from her bow as he spoke softly to her.

"I know you will, Leona. And I'm sorry if this was a little harsh on you, but I've learned more than once that the best lessons are rarely the easy ones."

"Oh, no my lorwd! You don't need to say any sorwies.~ Imma gwateful and honored to weceive your lessons and instwuction.~"

Gabriel smiled and nodded as he then proceeded to gently pat Leona on top of her head. It was all she could do to not squeal in delight, as she quivered with a ditzy smile spread across her face. It was only matched by the look of loss and disappointment she had when Gabriel stopped when addressed by Tamura in a silky tone of voice.

"Begging you pardon my lord, but I am curious of something. Will you be keeping the beard?~"

Gabriel looked at Tamura and perked a brow, before letting out a slight muffled sound that one could not tell if it was a laugh or not before calmly answering.

"No, I don't think I will. My father was the one who liked the bearded look. As soon as we are finished here I'll retire to my quarters and it'll be removed." He says whilst running his right hand through it.

"Ooooh!"

The NPCs quietly exclaimed, having learned another new bit of information of their lord before Tamura spoke again with a shy and blushing expression.

"Oh?~ That is a pity, my lord. If I may be so bold, I feel that it makes you look quite... distinguished.~"

"He he he. Thank you, Tamura. I appreciate it." Gabriel replies with an amused chuckle.

Walter had an amused smirk as he looked to his comrades and saw that their eyes were hungrily gazing upon Gabriel's form. He had to admit the beard seemed to elicit positive reactions from them, although Gabriel himself seemed indifferent. Wanting to bring his comrades out of their daydreams again, Walter lets out an exaggerated cough, followed by an, "Ahem!", sound before speaking formally.

"Pardon me, sir. If I may, it seems that you have plans now that your training has reached a conclusion."

"Indeed I do, and that was the next point I wanted to bring up. One week from today, it is my intention to set out alone in this new world to see and explore it for myself..."

"..."

One could hear a pin drop as silence descended upon the training chamber. So great was the shock of his declaration that each of them failed to muster up a response before Gabriel continued speaking.

"Despite the information that was gathered from the nearby Drake Rider country, it's crucial that I see and experience this world for myself. Otherwise, valuable perspectives and insights could be lost. Second and third hand reports can provide only so much."

Tamura and Walter gazed upon Gabriel with blank, analytical expressions whilst Lynal and Leona looked as if they had chewed on a bitter worm. The thought of their master leaving the Keep alone to perform such a task was almost incomprehensible to them.

"L-Lord Gabriel...!"

"B-But my lorwd...!"

*CLANG!*

The words from Lynal and Leona were halted as soon as they heard Tamura pound her staff onto the ground. They looked back to her, and the glare she had communicated only one message: 'Be silent!'

Picking up on this they weakly nodded as Gabriel perked a curious brow at the scene. Tamura and Walter glanced at each other for a moment, before then bowing to their master, with the other two NPCs following suit. Tamura then spoke in a soft and calm tone of voice.

"We have heard your words and shall trust in your judgement, Lord Gabriel. We shall inform the other guardians of your intentions so as to prepare the Keep."

"Hm. Thank you, Tamura. Then I'll be off."

"Lord!" They said in unison.

Then Walter stepped forward and handed Gabriel his [Guild Ring], which he had kept safe during his training. While Gabriel put it on, he smirked as he thought to himself.

 _'It seems you had picked up on it, Tamura. Clever girl...'_

With that final thought he teleported away in a flash of blue light. Now that they were alone, the NPCs started to talk amongst themselves, with Lynal being the first to speak with a marked formality and seriousness to his voice.

"Commander. Vice-Commander. Why is it you did not speak up against our Lord Gabriel from venturing out into this unknown world alone?"

Both Walter and Tamura looked upon Lynal with slight hints of indignation in their eyes, before they both sighed in exasperation. Walter pushed up his glasses as he replied to the query with a stern tone.

"Remember your place, Guard-Captain Lynal Dexx. It is not for you to question our lord's intentions, or ours for that matter. However, as a fellow servant of the last remaining of the High Lords, I can understand your concern and confusion. Therefore, we'll overlook your lapse in decorum and enlighten you on what has just transpired..."

Almost on cue, Tamura began speaking with a soft, but equally stern tone as Walter's.

"You had failed to noticed this, but Lord Gabriel's intentions here went beyond simply testing his abilities and teaching us. By demonstrating his puissance for us to see _before_ announcing his intentions, he was trying to say, 'Do not worry about me'. Coupled with his victory over the wielder of a World Class Item, he had effectively left us with no room for discussion. To try to debate his decision now would be a sign of impudence, disrespect, and a complete lack of faith in our master."

The effect was immediate as both Lynal and Leona looked as if they had been splashed with cold water. They lowered their heads in shame and dejection as Tamura's words began to sink in.

"By the creators. I'm such a fool. I apologize."

"Nya.~ Me too."

Walter and Tamura could only smile at the display as they understood their feelings all too well. They also had misgivings about letting their master leave, but they knew that even if they couldn't change his mind, there was a chance that they could discuss extra security measures with him at a later date. For now, they simply bided their time and would wait for a better opportunity to address it.

Tamura stepped forward, and in an almost motherly tone spoke to Lynal and Leona.

"It's alright now. As our lord wanted, we should learn from our actions, not wallow in them.~"

Upon hearing those words, they rose up and seemed to be in higher spirits.

"You're rwight!~ We're still here for ouwr lorwd, no matter what, and we can still impwove! Can't wait to tell Astraea 'bout this!~" Leona said cheerfully as she hopped in place.

"Hm. 'Tis true. I'll be sure to pass on what I have learned of this to the troops tomorrow morning." Lynal said with a smile.

"That's the spirit. Now let us be off. Walter and I still have some duties to perform before the day is out." Tamura said softly with a smile before vanishing.

"Do take care of yourselves." Walter said cordially before also disappearing.

Having been left alone in the chamber Lynal relaxed his posture and stretched his neck in a fatigued manner. Before he could do anything else, Leona had rushed over to his side and cheerfully latched on to his right arm.

"Nyow that bwusiness is done, how 'bout we get that dwink? And then...~"

She then stands up on the tips of her toes to reach his ear and whispers something to him. Whatever she said, it elicited a reddened face and full grin from him. She then lowered herself and kissed him on the cheek before speaking mischievously.

"Swo, how 'bout it cutie?~ After that match with Lorwd Gabriel, and gazing at his mighty form, we both could use some fun, nya?"

"He he he. Aye, milady. I agree."

The two then walk out of the chamber with Leona humming happily as Lynal smiles at the situation.

 _'Aaah~. I wasn't aware Lady Leona was so forthright. It makes my incubus blood boil with anticipation. Perhaps she will last longer with me in bed, than with our master in battle...'_

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Gabriel's Room  
-A few hours later-**

Stepping out into a living-room area from a set of double doors, wearing a silk, dark blue bathrobe was Gabriel. He had just finished taking a shower, and removing the golden blonde beard that was so positively received by the ones who had seen it. He chuckled every time he thought about it, not quite seeing the appeal. Of course, his father had a beard before his death, which might have been the reason for his feelings on it.

He sat at a small wooden table in front of an active fireplace that had a tablet and a polished, white marble mug filled with hot green tea waiting on him. Picking up the tablet in his right hand, he read the latest progress reports from Tamura, Walter, and Charon, whilst drinking from his mug in his left. He seemed pleased with how things were progressing.

During his month training in isolation, regular updates had been sent to him at specific times during each day to keep him apprised of the Keep's situation. As he took another sip of his tea, he nodded positively at its contents.

 _'Walter did an excellent job securing the flora and fauna samples that we needed. Food production continues apace, and we should be able to sustain the Keep without dipping into our reserves for now... The druids are making short work of any production delays. The convenience of magic at work... Hm.'_

Gabriel took another sip of his tea before continuing to read the reports.

 _'A resource depot has been built inside a nearby mountain to stockpile as much of the new raw materials we have gained so far. Hm? Mining the nearby mountains seems to be going smoothly... no sign of any metals stronger than adamantite so far. If the intel from the Drake Rider country holds true, then odds are we won't find any. A pity, but I already have plans to work around that...'_

Gabriel picks up a pen-like instrument and jots downs a few notes on the pad before continuing to read its reports.

 _'Hmm... New world crafting materials, reagents, and methods used in the creation of magic items, weapons, armor, scrolls, and wands found to be of low quality compared to YGGDRASIL standards. However, it's noted that there are several differences between the methods used in this world, and the methods used here. Quality is low, but the refinement of materials and techniques are high. Hmm... That makes sense. If you can only go so far with a single method, then at least master it to its fullest potential. Let's see... wands and scrolls limited to holding 2nd-tier magic at most. Items, weapons, and gear limited to the 3rd-tier of magic. This is just sad. But it still might prove useful. Needs more research...'_

He makes a few notations on the pad before continuing.

 _'Tamura seems to have found a solve for that issue with harvesting materials from that traitor Ohrly'ress... Seems YGGDRASIL healing magic can restore severed body parts to the main body if they aren't altered in some way. Something about the nature of the magic recognizing altered flesh as foreign to the body. Let's see... How much have her teams harvested by now?'_

"..."

Gabriel furrowed his brows as he saw the figure displayed, and for a moment was in disbelief.

 _'Between the skin, bones, blood, fangs, claws, scales, other secondary crafting components and meat for regular consumption, they've harvested nearly 3,197 lbs (1,450.1kg) in total? Over the course of two weeks?! How the hell is Ohrly'ress still alive after all that?'_

As if in response to his thoughts, a voice echos from the depths of his subconscious.

 _/"Perhaps you underestimate the resilience of a dragon's constitution, young Gabriel? Oh. That's right. You still can't hear me outside of dreams. At least you managed to accomplish that much in the span of a month. I must admit, you surprised me in the levels of control you have gained in such a short time. You have nearly mastered your new dragonic traits. Now all that remains, is for you to strengthen yourself. I am sure you have realized it by now, but you have reached the limits of what you can achieve through training alone, no matter how arduous it may be. From here on out, you will need live combat to improve..."/_

Just as the voice in Gabriel's subconscious fades, a light knock is heard from his front door.

 _'Hmm... judging by the pitch of the sound and the rhythm of the knock, my visitor is a woman. Too many female NPCs to make a guess. No matter...'_

"Enter."

After giving his approval, the door opens and in walks the nurses Addison-Rei and Mina. Still wearing their nurse's attire, they promptly and gracefully came in whilst closing the door behind them. As Gabriel looked upon them from his seat, Addison still looked as proud and confident as ever, whilst Mina appeared nervous and fidgety. From what he was told, that seemed to be normal for the homunculus nurse, although something was amiss to his senses. Before he could ponder its meaning, Addison-Rei addressed him.

"Good evening, Lord Gabriel. I'm happy to see you are well.~" She said in a friendly tone, with a smiling face as they both bowed to him.

Gabriel calmly smiled at the display, and he found that a part of him missed the lvl-5 human nurse as he spoke in an equally friendly manner.

"Thank you Addison. It has been a while. I trust you are doing well?"

"Oh, why yes, my lord!~ In fact, it's been great. I merely hoped you could spare some of your time, as you once said that I was always welcomed to an audience."

"Of course you are. I'm merely going over some reports. It's nothing that cannot wait until tomorrow. Please, tell me what's on your mind. I assume it has something to do with you bringing Mina here."

"Oh, indeed my lord. She has... a request.~" Addison-Rei says with a slight smirk.

She motions Mina to step forward, whom looked nervous, but also had a determined expression as she looked upon Gabriel. He did not fail to notice this as he studied her expression and body language. He surmised it must have been serious and he decided to speak to her in a gentle tone to set her at ease.

"Go on, Mina. It's okay. Whatever it is you need to discuss, I am listening. Feel free to speak your mind."

That seemed to relax the small homunculus nurse as she breathed a sigh of relief, and then seemed to become even more serious as she then spoke in a formal tone.

"My Lord Gabriel. I, Mina of the Sanctuary of Ianuaria, request to be bedded by you!~"

"..."

For a moment, which seemed to stretch on for an eternity, there was silence in Gabriel's private chambers. So sudden was the small nurse's request that he was momentarily dumbfounded, only able blink a few times before a single sound left his lips.

"Huh?"

 **(A/N: "To Be Continued" in 1st-Chapter of,** **"A Dragon's Passions".)**

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 5th-Floor, Crystal Gardens  
-1 Week Later-**

A gentle breeze blew threw the air as a solitary figure in a brown cloak stood motionless beneath a cherry blossom tree that was 3 meters (10ft) away from a natural hot spring, that had a smooth rock formation at the far end. The figure pulled back on the hood of his cloak, revealing himself to be Gabriel, who possessed a mournful expression as he looked down, transfixed on the very spot where his wife's life had ended.

Not a word was spoken, nor a thought given shape, as he looked down, and memories came flowing back to that fateful night. His life had been forever changed in one life shattering moment, and a joyful life with his wife had been torn away. He very nearly destroyed himself to escape his pain, and nearly breaking the promise he made, to do the one thing he was still hesitant to do: move on.

He knew that keeping to who he was would not be entirely possible. The ordeal he had survived left him a changed man. Whether it was for better or for worse, he could not definitively say. Though without access to the object of his now impotent hatred that lay within his heart, Alisha's wish that it not corrupt and change the man she loved would be kept, and it was this that brought a measure of peace to him, with the other source coming from the now living inhabitants of Dracon's Keep.

They showered him with love, devotion, loyalty, and had given him new purpose, giving life to a part of him he thought had died with Alisha. Perhaps it will be this that allows him to keep to a part of who he was, as he prepares to travel the new world, with a new life that had been reborn under the worst of circumstances from his old world.

He smiles bitterly at this thought as he reaches into his inventory and pulls out an item from YGGDRASIL called a [Music Box]. In the game it allowed one to encode many different kinds of songs onto it for later use. Gabriel used it to listen to music with Alisha in the game, but also to store the instrumental versions of songs he would sing for her.

He opened the top and a transparent display popped into view. As he scrolled through its contents, he winced as he saw the title of the last song he had sung for Alisha. It was an older song from the 1980s called, "The Time Of My Life". It was one of her favorites, and it was his as well, until that night. There was a moment of hesitation at first, but he then clicked the "Delete" option, erasing it from his music box. It would not take one a great deal to understand why, as it represented another tainted memory for him.

He stared vacantly at the display for a moment, but then resumed scrolling through lists of many different songs until he found the one he was looking for. After setting it to the side, he pulled another item from his inventory that was like the magical equivalent of a mic. He depressed a trigger on the item, which in turn signaled the [Music Box] to begin playing.

 **{Stan Bush- On My Own, Alone}** (/watch?v=AU7MPYF_1I4)

For the first time in over a month, Gabriel sang and his voice echoed across the vastness of the 5th-floor. However, unbeknownst to him, Alisha had modded the item he is using to broadcast his voice not just on the 5th-floor, but through the entirety of the Keep. It was her own personal, private joke, since it allowed the other guild-members to enjoy his singing without his knowledge.

However, now that the Keep had become real, this now extended to all the NPCs whom resided within. All at once, on every floor, the NPCs halted in their tracks, and listened to their lord's singing. All were captivated and moved by his voice that echoed into every hall, but they also felt the meaning and intent of the song.

On a nearby hill overlooking Gabriel's position, were the 5th-floor guardians, Schala Gisharel, and her "brother", Janus Gisharel. They both had solemn looks on their faces as they watched and listened to their master sing. A single tear feel from their eyes as Janus spoke in a low tone.

"Sister, is that...?"

"Yes, little brother. This is Lord Gabriel's way of saying goodbye."

"To our fallen Lady?" Janus asked as he looked to Schala.

"... To everything."

Janus looked confused at first, but then it seemed realization dawned on him as he gently nodded and turned his attention back to their Lord Gabriel. Less than four minutes later, Gabriel had concluded the song, and stood motionless in a moment of silence which, unknown to him, the entire Keep joined him in, as every hall of every floor simultaneously became deathly silent.

A few minutes dragged on for what seemed like an eternity, as Gabriel then started to move again, and almost as if they had sensed his movement, the NPCs too were moving again. Gabriel placed his [Music Box] back into his inventory, and then stared down into his right hand that still held the item that he sang into. The item was a gift from Alisha back in the game, and the same one he used during their last night together.

He walked over to the spot where he had last held Alisha in his arms, and then gently placed the item onto the ground, like an offering to a grave. He allowed himself one last solemn moment of silence, as his hand remained on the item. He then stood up and spoke in a distant tone as he gazed upon that spot.

"Goodbye, my love."

With his head still lowered, Gabriel turned around and walked away from the site of his greatest sorrow, and all without shedding a single tear as he then teleported away, to begin his journey into the new world.

* * *

 ***A/N: It's been a long journey to get here. For me as a writer, for you guys as the readers, and for the characters within. A great many thanks to all who've fav'ed & followed me and this story so far. This chapter marks the end of, "Season 1". Stay tuned because "Season 2" will have some surprises in store. Until next time friends! ^_^***

 ***Review replies!***

 **UndeadLord22-12/24/17** **: LOL! You're hilarious good sir. ;) Anywho, glad you liked the chapter's offerings and hope you'll continue to enjoy the story. :)**

 **Totong-12/24/17** **: Very true. NPCs can be a handful at times. :P Oh, yeah. Ohrly'ress is paying his debts indeed. ^_^ Glad you loved the chapter. Oh, and Happy New Year to you too buddy! Excelsior! :D**

 **Fanboy 316-12/25/17** **: Yeah, that trio will be seen again, but it'll be a while. ;) Oh, very true, and thankfully Gabriel knows his actions have consequences. Oh, when he and Rigrit do meet, it'll be a tad... unexpected. ;)**

 **pta917-12/25/17** **: LOL! Dude! If he did that, he'd already have a book filled out. :P LOL! Gotta love those puns and references. ;) Glad you loved the chapter. ^_^**

 **pwashington-12/26/17** **: LMAO! That's seriously awesome, and yes I know of him and have read some of his work. We've exchanged a few PMs as a matter of fact. As far as teaming up, I rather like that idea, but he's a busy man so no clue if that'll happen. :P**

 **DinoZilla-12/26/17** **: Oh, yeah! The guardians were a given, and I hope to feature more NPCs in the future. ;) And you'll see that the Keep's NPCs will be the polar opposite to Nazarick's in more ways than one. LOL! The M-Rated side-story will have Addison-Rei to be sure. Wasn't planning on one for Ericah, but now that I think about it...**

 **MajorShipper519-12/31/17; 1/12/18** **: (CH.7),(CH.8) PMed long reply to CH.7. Want to know what it was, PM me. Here's CH.8's. :)**

 **...**

 **LOL! Too formulaic? You may have a point there, but since the opportunity to give them proper intros that didn't feel forced never came up, I was stuck with an introduction via official meeting. Bummer but lesson learned. :P Glad you liked the interactions though. Always a plus.**  
 **Doh! Sorry you dislike Gabriel's internal monologues. However it's actually a part of his character to think things through, so while I might lessen them a bit, they won't be going away anytime soon. :P**  
 **LOL! An EricahXGabriel pairing would have been interesting, if not for my future plans. ;)**  
 **Heh! Wonderful that the floor guardians have struck a cord with pretty much everyone so far. Makes me happy! ^_^**  
 **You're only half-right. Normal classes cap off at 15 levels. Some racial stats don't. Example: Sebas Tian had racial level-25. Makes one wonder how OP his true form would be. O.o**  
 **LOL! Yeah, Ainz is dense to the 'enth degree, while Gabriel knows that keeping his OP NPCs on a leash is essential. Still, glad you liked that scene. :)**  
 **LOL! Please do! I myself wonder how many times ol' Gabe has cried. Of course, there's a reason why the word "Sorrows" is in the title. ;)**  
 **Uh, that quote was from** ** **Rigrit's** inner musings, not Rahkar's. :P**  
 **Thanks for pointing out the typos. Some things just fall through the cracks during the editing process. :P They'll be corrected in short order. ;)**

 **pwashington-1/3/18** **: (CH.7) Hm. Interesting points. I totally agree. Gabriel has a leg up there since he has actual knowledge of and experience with magic outside of YGGDRASIL. For him, figuring out how to use his powers, is only second to him figuring out HOW his powers work, which he eventually goes. Especially since he always had a fascination with magic anyways. ;)**

 **Varcisis-1/23/18** **: (CH.8) LOL! Interesting offer my friend. Still, I need to be careful on how I speed things up, otherwise the quality of the chapters might suffer as a result. ;) Oh, and thank you very much for the kind words! It fills me with joy and motivation to know I've made such an impact. ^_^ Glad you liked the chapter, and that it got everything right with you, and hope you liked this one. ;)**


	10. Chapter 10-Intermission 2

**Chapter 10-Intermission 2: Departure & Divergence**

 **Dracon's Keep, The Treasury**

The warm white lights shined brilliantly overhead, as four figures sat upon three curved sofas that were arranged around a single large circular table situated in the circular central junction chamber of the treasury. Sitting together on one sofa were the highest ranking NPCs, Walter and Tamura. Sitting alone on the second was the Guardian of the Treasury Charon, and on the final one was the master of Dracon's Keep, Gabriel.

He wore a simple brown cloak with a plain hood, but clean and spotless in appearance. In addition, he wore brown leather trousers, dark brown boots with shin-guards, a harness along the waist that appeared to hold multiple traveling pouches, and a dark brown lacquer breastplate that had a dull sheen to it in the light. In essence, his attire was that of a wanderer and traveler that would draw little attention to himself.

The three whom sat opposite him all gave bows simultaneously, as they spoke in unison with reverence clear in their voices.

"We thank our Lord Gabriel for entertaining our selfish requests!"

"Nonsense. You each gave clear and reasonable proposals for added surveillance and security measures for my departure and explorations. I believe I had already stated before that it would be foolish of me not to listen to the council of my talented and faithful aids, so all is well." Gabriel said in a calm, soothing tone, as if he was putting children at ease.

"We thank our lord!" The three said in unison.

Gabriel held back an exhausted sigh as he instructed them to be at ease, and they complied. The said measures that he had referred to involved three precautionary measures to set their minds at ease that their master, and the last of the High Lords of Dracon's Keep, would be safe.

First, he would have a shadow demon with him during his explorations as a sacrificial shield, and as a means to conduct covert recon, since they boast high levels of stealth. Second, when settling into an inn in the outside world, he would teleport back to the Keep, with a doppelganger taking his place. Third, and the one recommendation that took him by surprise, was to equip himself with the spoil from his fight over a month ago, the World Class Item, [Amulet of the Divine Star].

At first, Gabriel balked at the notion of any of the 4 World Class Items currently in their possession leaving his Keep. However, the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Logic dictated that if there was one W.C.I. out in the wild, then the odds of there being another, no matter how small, could not be ignored. The memory of his fight with the Yogg Bwynleah was proof enough of that. Since the W.C.I. in question was purely defensive in nature, it seemed the most appropriate to use, and so he relented.

Wanting to keep the flow of the conversation moving he spoke up in a authoritative voice akin to that of a commander addressing his troops...

"What's the status of the training and education of the 'operatives'?"

Walter would straighten up his posture and push up his glasses before replying.

"Well, sir, as you commanded in your list of instructions over a month ago, we selected the texts you described in the Grand Library left by the other high lords, and we have began to construct an education regimen to teach certain vassals in the arts of 'covert operations'. If all goes well, they should be ready to send out into the neighboring countries within a month."

Once again, his late wife's love of role playing and attention to detail was a boon for them. Since certain members of the guild had worked as undercover police and spies, she had instruction manuals and guides on the related subjects converted into in-game items in the form of books, which were then used to fill the shelves of the 8th-floor's, "Grand Library of Pergamum".

In this way, Gabriel would not have to personally teach the NPCs covert operations and spy craft, but he would ensure that they were ready. It would also provide an excellent opportunity to test the NPCs, to see if they could change and grow.

"Hm. Keep at it. There was only so much we could learn from Rahkar's people. We need to learn more about this world, but we need to do it quietly, without drawing any undue attention. I trust I don't need to explain why." Gabriel said sternly.

His three guardians quietly nodded in acknowledgement of his words. During the month that Gabriel had been in seclusion training, they had given him periodic updates on what they had learned from the Drake Rider country. What they had all learned did nothing to set Gabriel's mind at ease, as his suspicions became cold, hard, facts.

While the Land of the Drake Riders was a small, isolationist country that claimed these mountain ranges and some of the plains to the north, they were considered to be a "strong" one by this world's standards. Their "elite" averaged in the level-20s, and their regulars in the teens. After that, it became all the more worrisome.

Based on what they had learned, they were able to estimate that most of the other nations of the new world were somewhat inferior to them, with their troops averaging between levels 8 through 15, and there were some that were even lower than that.

Magic wise it was not better, with the "brightest" and "talented" of those with magic affinity achieving the 3rd-tier at most. That in itself was considered a feat, with the 4th-tier even more rare, the 5th considered a level worthy of heroes, and the 6th-tier being considered "legendary". Rahkar himself only knew of two individuals who had reached that level. They were Fluder Paradyne of the Baharuth Empire to the north, and Rigrit Bers Caurau of the Thirteen Heroes , whom Rahkar had informed visited him recently.

While non-human nations were stronger, in the face of the combined might of Dracon's Keep, it was the equivalent of a pitting a hamster against a gray wolf. Gabriel was not at all comfortable with the situation, and the new information provided only reinforced his views. They were simply too strong for this world to handle, and their very presence could tip the balance of it into ruin. He wanted to minimize the negative impacts they had and he made sure that his guardians and all other denizens of the Keep knew this.

So his plan was to go out into this new world himself first, and when the selected NPCs were ready, they would head out, integrate into the various countries, and then quietly gather information as spies and informants. Because in this situation, ignorance was not bliss, it was a danger. Which can be dealt with quietly, if the right cards were played.

 _'If there's one thing I learned after being with Alisha for over 2 centuries, subtlety and discretion can win out against a LOT of potential issues... Now there is just one more thing I have left to do...'_

Gabriel stood up with almost regal bearing as his countenance was one of solemn focus. The 3 guardians quickly stood up in response and dutifully awaited his word.

"I will be going to the 5th-floor to take care of one last thing before I head out. I trust you all to look after things in my absence."

"Of course, sir. If I may, which country have you elected to explore first?" Walter calmly asked.

"The Baharuth Empire has caught my attention. It'll be my first destination." Gabriel replied in a firm tone.

"Understood. Then safe travels, sir." Walter said with a bow as the others followed suit.

"Please be safe, my lord." Tamura warmly stated.

"Call and we shall come to your aid, my master." Charon's distorted voice added as jets of steam were ejected from his helm.

"Thank you, my guardians. I will." Gabriel said with a peaceful smile before activating his [Guild Ring], and disappearing in blue light.

There was silence for a few seconds before the trio of guardians stood erect once again, with Tamura breaking the silence as she spoke in a relaxed tone.

"All should be well. Lord Gabriel accepted our recommendations and we have taken all the necessary steps to safeguard him.~"

"Indeed. Now we just have to fulfill the next stage of our tasks so that Lord Gabriel will not need to head out himself." Walter cordially added.

While the two conversed Charon stood silent, and motionless. Almost as if he were a statue as he stared off into space. Tamura noticed this and halted her conversation with Walter with a raised hand as she carefully examined him.

"Is something the matter, Charon?" She asked in curiosity.

Jets of air were discharged from his helm as he at first gave no reply. Tamura grimaced at this thinking he was purposely ignoring her, and just as she was about to rebuke him, his hands reached up to his helm.

*CLACK*CLICK*SNAP*

The fingers of his clawed gauntlets rested over the eyes of his helm as his thumbs were undoing switches and latches underneath it and on the sides. Then sounds akin to that of pressurized air could be heard escaping as the helm then started to split down the middle with wet, crunchy sounds. His hands then spread his helm apart and slowly removed it from his head. Neither Walter nor Tamura were shocked or surprised by the sight that greeted them: the bleached white skull of an Overlord.

Charon turned his skull glimmering in the light with moisture as he looked at them with fiery purple lights in his eye sockets. A blue viscous material could be seen within his armor as a black halo of energy wafted off his form, and he spoke with a voice slightly less distorted.

"Walter. Tamura. You do realize why our master is going to the 5th-floor?"

The named duo looked at each other for only a second before nodding in unison with solemn expressions. As Walter pushed up his glasses, Tamura turned to Charon and answered in soft tones.

"Yes, Charon. We know. It is what our Lady would have wanted, and just as our Lord Gabriel has shown the strength to carry on, we too must do the same."

"Umu"

His fleshless face couldn't show it, but Charon was conflicted over the situation. While Gabriel was his master and creator, the late Alisha had greatly assisted in his creation through the use of mods and [Cash Shop] items to ensure success. In a way, Charon considered Alisha to be a sort of mother type figure. Although undead, her loss had affected him like all the other NPCs. He simply lacked the means to express it like his comrades could.

Still, he wanted to discuss it, and just as he was about to engage in conversation over the matter, their collective attention was taken by music that was playing over the Keep's intercom. All at once they knew the significance as Walter calmly spoke.

"So, it's begun."

"Hm. Indeed, it has." Charon replied in an empty voice.

Tamura did not say a word. Instead, she gripped her Divine Class scepter in both hands as a sad smile decorated her face as she listened to Gabriel's singing voice. The voice she always loved to hear, but knew that after this, it was very likely that they would not hear it again. As they quietly listened, Charon mused to himself with his bare skull still glistening in the light.

 _'Lady Alisha. We shall fulfill your final wishes, and we shall keep your secrets, as I know your comrades on the other side will be doing the same...'_

* * *

 **Unknown Location, Old World/Earth**

Ceiling fans overhead quietly circulated the air in a large, moderately lit lounge with a bar being tended by a sharply dressed woman with her blonde hair done in a single braid. She was slowly polishing a drinking glass spotless with a white cleaning cloth as her amber eyes slowly went to the only two other occupants in the center of the area.

The first was a well built man wearing black pants, ankle-high leather shoes, and a dark-blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and the buttons undone to expose his bare muscular chest. He had brown, short cut hair that was swept back in a spike style, and he looked down to the amber liquid in his glass with dark yellow eyes that seemed to reflect the very light itself.

To his front sat a beautiful woman of athletic build with short cut black hair wearing all leather attire with shin-high black boots with flat high-heels. She had short-cut black hair that was parted on the right side and neatly styled to remain in place. She too had a drink in her right hand as she stared down at it with bright, piercing blue eyes.

Then they both looked up at each other, and clinked their glasses together as they then spoke in unison...

"To Gabe and Alisha. Gone, but not forgotten."

They then downed their respective drinks in a single gulp before then placing their glasses face down on the small table in the middle. The woman then spoke with a voice filled with both solemnity and relief.

"I'm glad you were able to get out of there in one piece, Jon. I was worried sick."

"Feh! If ya' call tacklin' some wanker outta' window, and fallin' a couple dozen stories onta' a fraggin' truck as bein' in 'one piece', then sure thing Julia. Please do." Jon replied sarcastically.

"Argh! You know what I mean dickweed! I'm glad you're alive!" Julia angrily shot back.

"Yea', I kno'. Jus' gettin' tired o' this air."

"I... understand." Julia says with a sigh.

Their mutual sight then falls on an obsidian colored rectangular object in the middle of the table that looked something akin to a drive from a computer. They both then sighed as Jon spoke up in a series tone.

"Lady Alisha's 'Black-Box'. I assume ya' read it all before I got 'ere?"

"Yeah. I did."

"Good. Then we can skip the foreplay. How things look in YGGDRASIL?"

"It's just as Lady Alisha thought. Dracon's Keep is gone. Like it was wiped from the servers, along with our accounts. And since their bodies are gone... it's safe to assume they 'crossed over'."

"Dammit. I hate it when she's right."

"Uh, Jon? She was always right." Julia deadpanned in reply.

"Oh, bugger me."

The two of them chuckle a little bit, trying to enjoy the sudden lighter shift to the heavy air around them. Then the mood shifts again as Jon spoke up once more.

"Movin' on. Did everyone else make it?"

"Yes. She set things up to where when things happened, all those who knew of her and Gabriel's secret would be relocated. They're not happy about it, since there's no guarantee that the Hierarchy will come after them anyways, but better safe than dead."

"Amen to that luv'. So, what instructions she leave for you?"

"Hunting. She left a list of people that need to have some 'unfortunate accidents'."

"Heh he. Scary.~"

At that comment Julia perked a brow, and then had an ever widening smile.

"You're a freaking werewolf and you think I'm scary?"

"Oi, we've shagged enough times ta' where I kno' better than ta' piss ya' off."

At that comment Julia let out a hearty laugh, and as her laughter died down she gave him a lustful smile.

"Well, don't worry wolfie. As soon as my work is done, I'll be joining you on your task."

"Heh. Lookin' forward to it... So! What did these unlucky blokes do ta' get on Lady Alisha's shit-list?"

At that question, the air around Julia suddenly heavy as her smile vanished, and her blue eyes became as cold as ice.

 _'Oh, bugger. Tha' question wuzza grenade, and I jus' pulled tha' pin.'_

"Bellriver." Julia replied in a cold tone.

"Huh? That mouther from Ainz Ooal Gown? Whatta 'bout 'im?"

"He's dead."

"..."

Jon was silent for a moment as his eyes rapidly moved to and fro, as if he was hurriedly reading something that was in front of him. Then, an expression of enlightenment came over his face as he spoke up.

"Oh, fer' cryin' out loud. I get it. Alisha couldn't touch tha' ones that did it as long as she was around, but now that's not an issue, tha' twats days are numbered."

"Exactly."

"Arrgh. First Dylan, now this. Imma' gettin' tired of buryin' people." Jon said with a growl in his voice.

"Yeah. Me too." Julia said with a sigh. There was silence for a moment before she spoke again.

"Well, since you stuck your foot in your mouth with your question, maybe you can answer one of mine. Does Gabriel know about your task?"

"..."

Jon fell silent for a few minutes, before then taking a deep breath, and replying in a low tone of voice.

"No. He doesn't know anything."

"I see. So you're telling me that he's stuck in another world, with no clue that he had twins with Lady Alisha?"

"Oi! I don' like it either! Aw'rite! But dammit! I get it! She knew they'd try somethin' sooner or later. Hidin' their half-breed kids was the right call! If not it'd just paint a bigger target on their backs, they would've moved before the 'cross-over'." Jon replied with a growl.

"Don't bark at me wolfie. I too get it. But still, are half-human, half-vampire kids really that rare?" Julia asked in curiosity, to which Jon responded with an exasperated sigh before speaking.

"Yeah. It is. Livin' vamps can conceive kids with each other once every century or two, but with humans? It doesn't happen often. The last "rumored" time was maybe around 1,600 hundred years ago. The notes in Lady Alisha's 'Black-Box' figured that is was due to her 'bond' with Gabe makin' it possible. The Hierarchy would LOVE ta' get their hands on them if they knew..."

"And we'll be helping to guard them until they're adults... I owe Gabriel that much."

"... Thanks luv'."

"Anytime, wolfie... let's get another drink before we head on out." Julia says in a soft tone.

"Aye. I could use it."

* * *

 **NPC Character Sheets:**

Name: Tamura Oakenfold

Epithet: Beautiful Vice-Commander

Race: Elf/Human/Demon Hybrid

Residence: Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor

Allegiance: Gabriel, Dracon's Keep High Lords

Karma: Positive 250

Level: 100

Racial Level:

Demon-Unknown (5)  
Human (0)  
Elf (0)

Job Class:

Fighter (2)  
War Wizard (10)  
Armored Mage (10)  
Magic Sealer (10)  
Summoner (10)  
Illusionist (10)  
Master Illusionist (10)  
Etc (33)

Equipped Status:

HP: 69  
MP: 100  
Phy Atk: 66  
Phy Def: 60  
Mag Atk: 90  
Mag Def: 94  
Agility: 62  
Resistance: 89  
Special Ability: 100

Total: 730

 **...**

Name: Walter Bernard Montgomery

Epithet: The Gentlemanly Commander

Race: Human

Residence: Dracon's Keep, 8th Floor

Allegiance: Gabriel, Dracon's Keep High Lords

Karma: Positive 250

Level: 100

Racial Level:

Human (0)

Job Class:

Striker (15)  
Monk (15)  
Martial Lord (15)  
Ki Master: Spiritual (15)  
Ki Master: Physical (15)  
Sergeant (2)  
Commander (4)  
General (5)  
Etc (14)

HP: 100  
MP: 25  
Phy. Atk: 95  
Phy. Def: 92  
Agility: 91  
Mag. Atk: 19  
Mag. Def: 87  
Resistance: 97  
Special Ability: 98

Total: 700

 **...**

Name: Charon Zobach

Epithet: Keeper of Mysteries

Race: Undead-Overlord

Residence: Dracon's Keep, Treasury

Allegiance: Gabriel, Dracon's Keep High Lords

Karma: Negative 350

Level: 100

Racial Level:

Skeleton Warrior (15)  
Undead Knight (10)  
Elder Lich (10)  
Overlord (5)  
Etc (15)

Job Class:

Fighter (10)  
Sword Saint (10)  
Lord of a Castle (15)  
Etc (10)

Equipped Status:

HP: 67  
MP: 90  
Phy. Atk: 85  
Phy. Def: 58  
Agility: 83  
Mag. Atk: 54  
Mag. Def: 93  
Resistance: 95  
Special Ability: 100

Total: 725

* * *

 ***A/N: Hey there peoplez! Yes, I'm still around. Been dealing with... stuff if you follow updates on my "Bio" page. Wanted this chapter out there before the next one. And yes I'm still working on my M-rated project, "A Dragon's Passions". It's just taking me a while since I've had a bit on my plate. Please be patient. Oh! One major change going forward is that "Review Replies" will be done via PMs. Those with "Guest" reviews with get replies via updates on my "Bio" page, so keep an eye out. Until next time!***


	11. Chapter 11-New Stage, Familiar Themes

**Chapter 11-New Stage, Familiar Themes  
**

 **Baharuth Empire Territory**

A clear morning sky allowed sunlight to shine down upon a grassy field that swayed in the gentle breeze that carried with it the sweet scent of the beginnings of the spring season. Nary a soul was present as a man walked leisurely down a dirt road that led to a walled city in the distance.

This man wore a simple brown cloak with a hood, brown leather trousers, dark brown boots with shin-guards, a harness along the waist that held multiple traveling pouches, and a dark brown lacquer breastplate that had a dull sheen to it. Upon his back he wore a simple, brown traveling backpack of moderate size. For all intents and purposes, he looked like a simple traveler/wanderer.

As he lifted up his head, what few facial features that were exposed, revealed him to be the Player of YGGDRASIL, Gabriel Erin Dracon. He had set out four days earlier, using a teleport marker that had been set up by his NPCs Walter and Tamura, during their previous trip to the Drake Rider country. As anticipated, the few times he had been seen on the road, he was largely ignored by knights and citizens alike.

As he looked off into the distance, he saw his destination. According to the information that was obtained from King Rahkar's people, he learned that the name of this city was Kesavine. It was a large city south-east of the capital of Arwinter, and was a hub of trade for merchants of all types from many corners of the empire. From there, one could pay for transportation to the capital of Arwinter if they so desired.

Although Gabriel was interested in the capital, he was content to reach Kesavine, and explore his new surroundings. Taking in deep breaths of fresh air, he let out a pleased moan from the smell as he thought to himself...

 _'This world with no name... its environment is completely unspoiled by industrialization. It's such a shame that beauty such as this often goes unnoticed...'_

As he walked down the dirt road, he saw a pair of what appeared to be adventurers training in a nearby field, using wooden swords. The first man was a Gold ranked adventurer that seemed to be in his late 20s, to early 30s, with short-cut blonde hair, athletic build, and stood nearly 6 feet (182.9cm) tall.

The other was a young man in his late teens to early 20s, with brown hair, and was an Iron ranked adventurer standing slightly shorter at 5 feet, 10 inches (177.8cm) tall, and had a slightly leaner build.

"Yer' slackin' on defense! Keep your guard up gods dammit!" The blonde man shouted.

"Ack! Too fast!" The younger man retorted.

"So what?! Ya' think a monster is going to take it easy on ya'?! He won't even take it easy when he's plowing yer' tight ass!"

"That's not...!"

"Yer' open!"

*WHACK!*

"AAAAH!"

The younger man's momentary lapse in concentration at the verbal jab cost him in the form of a horizontal swing to the head that knocked him to the ground. The younger man groaned as he cradled his head, and the blonde man stood triumphant as he was poised to give a lecture.

"Ya' gotta keep yer' focus boy! If you don't, then not even the [Martial Arts] I'm teaching ya' will be enough to save yer' hide."

The younger man could only groan a reply before his trainer started demand he stand up for another round. All the while, Gabriel could only chuckle at the sight as he then continued on his way, sinking into his thoughts.

 _'He he he. That was an all too familiar scene. Ah~ah. How nostalgic...'_

His thoughts shifted into the past as he remembered a similar scene in his own life.

* * *

 **Years Earlier, DMMO-RPG of YGGDRASIL**

In the game of YGGDRASIL, as the name would imply, there were nine "worlds" in which to explore. These were Asgard, Álfheimr, Vanaheimr, Niðavellir, Midgard, Jötunheimr, Niflheim, Helheim, and Múspellsheimr of Norse mythology. Each world of YGGDRASIL had their own particular traits, and were estimated to be two to three times the size of the city of Tokyo in Japan. Out in an open space in the barren wastes of Helheim, two players were clashing with each other.

"Hey! You're slacking off!"

The first voice warned as he brought his sword downward in a vertical slash.

"Shit! Too fast!"

The second player cursed as he barely dodged and blocked several follow up slashes, with a sweat-drop emoji having appeared.

"So? You just gotta to adapt to it dude!" The first voice replied casually.

The first was Gabriel who wore full-plate armor of shining emerald green, with a helmet that was open in the front. The helmet itself was in the shape of a dragon's head, with Gabriel's face completing the image, while his golden blonde mane of hair jutted out the lower back of the helmet.

The armor was called the [Armor of the Emerald Dragon]. Although the name might have sounded too on the nose it wasn't his choice. The armor was gifted as an award for conquering his guild-base of Dracon's Keep in one attempt, and for accomplishing various hidden secondary tasks in the base, which included Gabriel, as the Guild-Leader, being the one to land the final decisive blow of the Keep's final boss.

The armor was insane in both power and defensive capabilities as it outclassed even other Divine-Class armors of the same type. The only ones that could compare were the armors worn by the [World Champion] class, which allowed him to fight them on near equal footing, with those fights always ending in a draw. That, and his enhanced reflexes and senses which allowed himself an advantage.

The second player was an undead, zombie-type avatar, and friend to Gabriel named, Alcatraz. He wore a maroon colored armor called [Unholy Daedric], covering almost all of his body, with a jet-black trench coat with a red faded Lesion Sigil. He also had a skull helmet but only wears it in an actual battle.

When not in battle he does not wear any headgear. Instead, he had a maroon colored teethed mask, covering his mouth, that adds a fear penalty to enemies without proper defenses. He had crimson colored pupils, and dark purple iris, while the rest technically is black, with blood red hair.

He was a member of a YGGDRASIL clan called the, "Hateful Eights", and was on good terms with Gabriel's guild, "The Dragon's Inquisition", and the guild of their mutual friend Momonga, "Ainz Ooal Gown". They met on numerous occasions on multi-guild co-op raids, adventures, and/or events, as well as leisurely meetings in many of the game's "Neutral Zones", where players could safely meet and mingle. Outside of official arena bouts, violence of any kind of strictly prohibited by the devs in these safezones.

This time, they were practicing. Or more accurately, Gabriel was training Alcatraz on refining his combat prowess, and allowing him to gain some experience in a fast-paced battle, much like what they were currently doing. Presently, they were using only their swords. No skills or spells. Just their own martial prowess. However, their weapons were not to be underestimated.

Alcatraz used a Divine-Class sword called, [Darkest Night]. It was a dark, fiery-styled blade which had [Death's Touch]. It can burn through a player's HP like a leech sucking its host's blood. It was deadly for its cursed power, and its penetration against armored targets. It could be toggled on or off, and right now it was off. However, its main ability is to deflect magical spells, but that had a cooldown duration and could not be abused too many times.

Gabriel's weapon was called [Krysseatheum], and it was a silver colored two-handed weapon that had the blade design of a katana but was the length of a broadsword with a length from blade tip to its sharp, pointed, dragon tooth pommel measuring 60 inches (152.4cm). It didn't have a typical guard, but a dragon's head where the blade extended out vertically from the mouth.

It was one of the top 20 deadliest Divine-Class weapons in YGGDRASIL. It possessed extraordinary cutting and piercing power that plows through lesser class equipment like a portable wrecking ball. On top of that it has a passive ability that allowed it to nullify the regenerative healing of living avatars with that ability, and was devastating to those without. Against undead however, that passive ability was quite useless. That particular fact was useful when "practicing" against/with Alcatraz.

"F***!" Alcatraz cursed.

He received a double hit to his shoulder. Even when giving it his all, he still had not managed to push forward. Gabriel was in fact, pushing him backward ever so slightly, and as Alcatraz's HP went into the red, he stumbled onto the ground. Gabriel then halted his attacks at the last second, and then pulled back as he spoke casually.

"Man, you're going to die fast. You know that, right? Heh. Heal up." A smirking emoji appeared from a chuckling Gabriel.

"Oh, shut up! At least I managed to last longer this time." Alcatraz retorted as he groans at his loss and mental exhaustion from concentrating whilst healing his avatar.

"Uh huh. That was only by 6 minutes. Not to mention, you kinda rely on using your spells and skills." Gabriel said casually.

"Oi, we all have to use them no matter what dude! Like, who in the world doesn't use them?" Alcatraz said as he glared at him.

At this Gabriel simply shrugged his shoulders.

 _'I don't most of the time, but lets avoid that topic...'_

What most people did not know, was that Gabriel hardly ever used his avatar's skills and abilities when fighting NPCs, and even in some player encounters. He used his martial prowess, superior reflexes and combat experience. Only when pressed did Gabriel resort to the use of abilities. Such as when he is outnumbered, or in defense of allies. Avoiding the topic, he again spoke to Alcatraz casually.

"I don't know, but I doubt that no one ever avoids using them... Unless its a bet..."

As Alcatraz fully healed his avatar, he sheathed his weapon, with Gabriel following suit by placing his weapon on his back, it sheath materializing seconds later. Putting them back into their inventory would lower their guard, and being outside of a safezone, that would be a foolish move, even for lvl-100s like them.

"... But hey. You asked me to train you, and here it is. Ask and you shall receive." Gabriel said plainly.

"I know that, but why the hell're you goin' to the damned extremes?" Alcatraz asked as he growled in frustration.

"You told me to go to the extreme..." Gabriel deadpanned in reply.

"Oh..."

Alcatraz facepalmed at the oversight.

"Wait... When did I say that?" He asked as he lifted his head up.

Gabriel sighed in fatigue at his friend's short, and selective memory.

"Remember? A few weeks ago? You asked me to train you, but I didn't at that time because I was busy with things?"

Gabriel could swear he could see the gears working in Alcatraz's mind as he hesitated for a moment before speaking.

 _'Seriously... is this guy...'_

"Ohhhhhhh... that time." Alcatraz deadpanned.

Gabriel shook his head in a way that communicated embarrassment at the affair.

"Jeez... You're bad at remembering things."

"Hey! I've got so many things to do in my time, alright?! You don't know my life."

An angry emoji appeared from Alcatraz as he retorted. A smirk emoji appeared from Gabriel as he replied.

"Uh, huh. Yeah, right..."

"Meh! Anyways..."

Alcatraz said while waving his hand dismissively.

"How's life doin' with that lovely 'darling' of yours?"

Gabriel shrugged dismissively as he replied.

"So far, so good. We've had a bit of a good time. Nothing really interesting the past few weeks..."

"..."

Alcatraz simply stared at him for a quite a long time in silence before Gabriel replied...

"What?"

"I don't believe you..." Alcatraz chuckled before continuing.

"It's somehow been quite a day for you, huh?" Alcatraz said with a "winking" emoji popping up.

Gabriel lowered his head in defeat. He sighed lazily while waving his hand dismissively, knowing that his friend had put enough pieces together.

"Fine, you got me..." He paused. "And yeah, quite a day."

Alcatraz flashed a grinning emoji.

"I won't pry any deeper on why, but it's quite stressful, huh?"

Gabriel hesitantly nodded.

"Welp! Life's a bitch. That I can tell ya'. Sooo...~ She emptied that sack of yours did she?" A devilish smirk emoji appeared.

"Hey. Can we NOT talk about this? Please?" A panic emoji appeared as Gabriel retorted.

A smiley emoji appeared from Alcatraz when he spoke up.

"Okay, okay. Don't worry 'bout it man. It's not like I'm recording what you said..." He muttered quietly at the last part.

Unfortunately for him, Gabriel heard that... Faintly.

"You what?" He said in a neutral tone, with a default emoji.

"Nothing! Nothing! I just said about hows life going!" He quickly said, waving his hands defensively.

 _'Think you can be tricky, huh? Well, two can play that game...'_

Gabriel simply stared at him before sighing with a reply.

"Alright then. Your HP full?"

"Oh? Hold on lemme check... Yep, its full."

Gabriel nodded as he drew his sword from his back, and it sheath faded from view.

"Okay then... Let's do this one more time."

Alcatraz drew his weapon before replying...

"Just take it easy enough for me to catch on... Please?" He said as a begging emoji appeared.

"Let's just see..." His said in an empty tone, with a devilish smile emoji appearing.

 _'Heh he. I bet he's thinking, "Yep, he heard it. I'm dead." Well, he'd be right...'_

Almost in an instant, Gabriel launched himself like a bullet towards Alcatraz who barely manages to block in time.

"You're going to have to learn how to fight dirty now... Alca-san~" Gabriel said mischievously.

But when Alcatraz heard him speak, it was translated as, "Don't die now~!"

 _'Sorry buddy, but that little bit of mischief is going to cost you... Let's hope the reflexes I've been helping you train don't fail you this time~...'_

Gabriel's thoughts trail off as Alcatraz quickly tried to block his swift attacks. After a few handful of minutes of intense fighting, Alcatraz was beaten... Quite easily... Without a single spell or skill being used...

* * *

 **Present Day, Baharuth Empire, Kesavine City Gates**

Sometime later Gabriel reached the front gate, patiently waiting in line. There, knights in blue garb and polished armor were inspecting wagons, and questioning people as they came upon the checkpoint. Magic casters in similarly colored robes assisted the process by casting low leveled detection magicks on the passers by as they came through. This ensured that they were not carrying anything dangerous.

This would have worried Gabriel, since he had a World Class Item hanging around his neck. However, he knew the inspection procedures ahead of time, and prepared the needed anti-detection magic items in advance. Compared to the magic casters in his Keep, they were little more than children at play, and would be easily fooled.

Ahead in the line he saw that some new arrivals were filling out forms, or were being assisted in the paperwork if they could not read and write. The scene made Gabriel's thoughts flash back to a few days before he departed Dracon's Keep...

* * *

 **7 Days Earlier, Dracon's Keep, Throne Room**

"Hiiieee?!"

"Calm down Tamura. You're getting over-excited." Gabriel calmly chimes in as he sits upon a large, platinum, dragon-scaled throne, his closed left fist on his chin, supporting his head.

"Ahem! M-My apologies my lord, b-but to be given custody of such a rare and sacred item, I... I..."

Tamura stammered as she replied, gawking at a silver ring in her left hand, that was engraved with three small jewels inside a streaking design that emitted a silver and blue light.

The object that had set her mind ablaze with chaos and confusion was the super-rare item, [Shooting Star], which Gabriel had given to her just moments ago, after he had Charon fetch it from the vaults of the treasury. He said that it was now "hers", and the sudden shock it brought her, made her lose all sense of propriety. Especially since it once belonged to deceased guild-member and High Lord, Dylan Alba Fortemus.

"Be at ease, Tamura." Gabriel said in a smooth, soft voice as he regally raised his hand.

"Your skills will be needed in a number of ways in the coming months. One of those, will be to utilize this item left to me by my old friend Dylan in an experiment. If successful, it will help us in a number of ways."

"B-But my Lord Gabriel, f-for one such as I to use this... is just..."

Her nervous stammering was halted with a raised hand from Gabriel, as he once again spoke softly with a warm smile, as if consoling a child.

"Tamura. I knew Dylan a long time. Believe me when I say, he would not mind you using it. Clear your mind of any unease, for the last thing Dylan would want, would be for you to panic, and you thinking yourself unworthy. If anything, he'd laugh at your reaction and say, 'It's alright'. However, since he is not here, I will say it in his place. It's alright. Now, take the ring, and in my name, and Alisha's name, serve Dracon's Keep well."

The nanosecond that Gabriel uttered the name of her creator in that context, Tamura's unease melted away. She held the ring tightly in a balled up fist, and placed it over her heart, as she bowed deeply to Gabriel with reverence and determination.

"By your command, Lord Gabriel. I swear, in the name of my creator, I will use this ring well."

"I know you will." Gabriel replied as a pleased smile decorated his lips.

As the scene came into view, Tamura stood in front of the throne, with Walter standing erect with arms behind his back to her left. To her right, an older balding man in his 50s, wearing modest, gray and brown robes, was sitting in a chair with head lowered and eyes glazed over. He was a scribe from the Land of the Drake Riders, requested by King Rahkar to be briefly employed by the, "Emerald Dragon Lord". He was told that this was a secret request, and would remember nothing of the encounter.

Indeed, that seemed to be the case, as he was under the influence of one of Tamura's spells, [Mystic Hypnosis]. It kept the subject pliant, and easily controlled for the duration of the spell. His was such a low level, the effect was near absolute. He seemed to be completely ignoring the conversation that was taking place as Gabriel spoke to a now standing Tamura...

"Now that we've cleared that up, do you understand what I wish you to do?"

"Yes, my lord. I focus my will and intent into the ring as I activate the spell, and make a very specific, and deliberate wish upon it to have this man's knowledge of the surrounding counties' languages to be bestowed upon you."

"Correct. There will be times that using items like translator glasses or monocles will either be impractical, or would draw unwanted attention. Those that'll eventually venture outside, will need to be able to read the local languages. This is all the more important, since we've determined that the mysterious forces that allows verbal communication regardless of language, does not work on writing."

"Yes, my lord. It is as you say. So... shall I begin?" Tamura faithfully replied, with an eager smile on her face. To which Gabriel responded with a simple nod.

She then crisply walked over to and behind the old man, who still sat with glazed eyes, barely aware of anything. That was until Tamura leaned over and softly spoke into his left ear, with a hint of mischief in her voice.

"Igeor... can you hear me?~"

"Ah. Yes, my, lady." He replied in a monotone.

"Close your eyes, and focus on all your knowledge relating to the languages you've learned to read and write over your life."

"Ah. Yes, my, lady."

Tamura released her scepter to Walter nearby, and placed [Shooting Star] on her left hand's middlefinger. After which, she placed said hand on top of Igeor's head. Then a large magic circle emitting silver-blue light emerged as Tamura focused on the spell, and Gabriel mulled over the situation unfolding before him...

 _'Well... let's see if this little experiment works like I think it will...'_

There were two reasons why Gabriel was doing this. The first was as he said. A young person using a magic item to read would draw unwanted attention. The second, was to test whether or not an NPC could use the [Shooting Star] ring. He learned that he could use the ring himself, due to the [Blood Magic] in his veins, and in this new world, the nature of the magic had changed drastically from the game, allowing for almost ANY wish, but at the cost of the energies and forces that constituted 'EXP'.

It was relatively easy to gain EXP in the game, but in this new, real, and physical world the process was an arduous one. It took Gabriel one month of hellish training to regain ONE lost level. Thus, using an EXP draining item would be counterproductive in the extreme. The NPCs of Dracon's Keep however, did not gain or store EXP, and their levels were maintained by their connection to the guild-base. If the effects were not too severe for them, it could be further utilized in the future. Two birds, one stone.

[Wish Upon a Star]!

Tamura chanted the spell's name as she continued to invoke the spell.

"Hear me O' ring! Bestow this man's knowledge of these lands' languages upon my Liege-Lord, and master of Dracon's Keep, Gabriel Erin Dracon!"

Power seemed to swell within the ring as a bright light filled every corner of the throne room, which then exploded in a blinding flash. A draft blew through the air as the dust settled, and everyone's vision cleared. The old scribe Igeor was slumped, unconscious in his seat. Tamura wobbled unsteadily on her feet as she went to Walter's side, whom handed back her staff so she could better steady herself.

Their attention briefly went to Igeor, before going to Gabriel on the throne, whom was leaning back, with his left hand covering his forehead and eyes, as if in discomfort. He then took in a deep breath and lowered his left hand. Slowly he opened his closed eyes as he rotated his neck to the left with a groan and an audible *POP!*, sound echoing in the throne room.

He lifted up his left hand to forestall either the commander or vice-commander of the Keep's NPCs to ask if he was well, and with his right pulled out a letter from the pocket dimension of his inventory. As he opened and looked upon it. He chuckled as he perked a brow, and shook his head with a wry grin. After a few more minutes of looking upon it he stowed it away and looked to the two guardians. Walter pushed his glasses up as he spoke to Gabriel in a formal tone...

"That letter was from Ms. Sabine was it not, sir? Then I take it the wish was granted?"

"He he. Indeed Walter. Suffice it to say, she's very... 'eager' to see me again." Gabriel replied with an amused, fatigued chuckle.

He then looked to Tamura, and he could tell that something was off as he focused his attention on her. He noticed she used her Divine Class Item, [Staff of Morpheus], to keep her posture upright.

"Tamura. How did the ring affect you?"

"I... Ahem! Forgive me, Lord Gabriel. It seems the ring drained me of about one-third of my mana, and an equal amount of my physical stamina. But please don't worry, my lord. I shall be back in top form shortly." Tamura dutifully said with a smile.

Gabriel nodded with a proud smile at her, and then mulled over the new information with a pensive expression.

 _'I see now... The NPCs won't be drained of levels, but of something else in order to use the ring. The way she described it... it's almost as if her very lifeforce was drained by the ring... This is a problem. If that is indeed the case, and the ring interprets, "EXP" from an NPC in such a manner, then if used incorrectly...'_

"Tamura, unless you receive direct orders from me, or find yourself in an emergency situation, you are hereby forbidden to use [Shooting Star] carelessly. Understand?"

For a brief second, Tamura was perplexed at her new orders, but then understanding seemed to dawn on her, and she bowed low.

"By your command, my lord."

* * *

 **Present Day, Inside the City of Kesavine**

Gabriel had passed through the checkpoint, and other than a few sideways looks from the knights and magic casters, was let through without incident. He thought to himself as he walked upon a raised stone sidewalk, lined with railings that ensured pedestrians would not accidentally find themselves in the dirt road where horse pulled carriages and other riders comprised the road's traffic...

 _'The inspections weren't as bad as I was expecting, but were still thorough. I'm thankful I knew what to expect ahead of time. Although listing myself as a "traveler" was probably not the wisest of decisions, claiming the Drake Rider country as my point of origin would have drawn more attention that I'd wish. Lack of detailed knowledge of this world really limits my options... Well, time to explore this city, and get a feel for it...'_

For the next 3 hours, Gabriel explored the city as he took in the sights, and chatted up a few people in merchant stalls selling their wares. He paid for food and a few trinkets with what was essentially, counterfeit Baharuth Empire coins. This was done by mining the mountainous areas around Dracon's Keep for resources, so as to avoid dipping into the Keep's reserves.

Once they had processed the gold, silver, and copper ore, they used coins from the Empire, provided by the Drake Rider country, as a base to perfectly replicate them. Although, Gabriel had to step in and instruct his NPCs to "dirty" up the money, which shocked and saddened them, since they took such great pride in their work. He was able to reassure them that it was necessary, since currency that looked brand new would have looked suspicious.

They happily complied, since they did not want to cause problems for their lord's goals. So, all the newly created coins were loaded into drums filled with dirt and oily rags, and golems were used to constantly turn them over for a full day. The result were coins that appeared to have been in circulation for years, which would perfectly fool the untrained eye. Such as the middle-aged woman with brown hair and blue eyes that he was buying apples from in a nearby fruit stand...

"Thank you for your patronage, sir." She softly said as she received his copper coins.

"No, dear lady. Thank you. This is just what I needed." Gabriel said in a soft tone as he gave a friendly smile, looking directly into her eyes.

"S-So... so handsome." The woman of around 45 years absent-mindedly said as she caught a glimpse of him though his opened hood, blushing at the sight of his emerald colored eyes that seemed to shine in the daylight.

Gabriel didn't reply, but instead smiled, and nodded as he smoothly walked off, seeing that the woman was in a daze. She was completely unaware of what she had said until he was about 6 feet (182.9cm) away. Then she seemed to snap out of her stupor as she held her cheeks in surprise, and let out a yelp that was like a cross between a squeak and a hiccup, clearly embarrassed. As Gabriel ate one of the apples bought, he went over the things he knew and had gleaned since arriving.

The Baharuth Empire. A human nation of this new world, and one of the three major human nations in the center of the continent. Located east of a mountain range called Azerlisia, which acts as a natural border with their neighbor, the Re-Estize Kingdom. At some point in the past, the two were one and the same nation before they eventually separated. Currently, they were in a state of hostilities, having annual battles regularly on the Katze Plains, which borders the two nations.

 _'An odd way to conduct warfare, but the details of these "annual wars" is sparse, since Rahkar's people showed little interest in learning more. Something to consider later...'_

Gabriel pulled out another apple from his bag and continued his line of thought as he observed his surroundings.

 _'From what I have seen of this city and its people, its like the French Baroque era I studied back on Earth. This "Empire" is in a state of social and economic reform and prosperity, largely thanks to its current emperor, Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix... Ugh... Long name based culture. Wonderful... Although, since I've adopted my full avatar name, perhaps I have no room to comment...'_

Gabriel sighed at that thought as he continued to mull over the nation.

 _'Hmm... it was a feudal state, until the current emperor purged many of the nobles and established an absolute monarchy. Apparently, he had absolute control over their armed forces, and used that to his advantage. So much violence and death accompanied his rise to power that people in and out of the country referred to him as the, "Bloody Emperor". A rather inauspicious name for someone who seems to fancy himself a reformer, but great change, for good or ill, will always be accompanied by death...'_

A dark, haunted looked came over him for a moment before he composed himself, and his now usual focused expression washed over his face as he continued on his way. He rounded a corner and saw a large crowd gathered around a central square type of area. From the energy and the atmosphere Gabriel concluded it was an auction of some kind.

At first he was going to continue on his way, but grew curious as he stepped into the crowd to see what was being on display. The people parted ever so slightly when they saw him, as if it was the natural thing to do in this situation. Gabriel perked a brow and thought it was due to the nature of the event that made them so cordial. He was near the front of the crowd, when his vision hardened at what he saw being sold...

Slaves.

Specifically, slaves of the non-human variety. He witnessed a young, orange fur colored, female fox-type beastman, around 17 human years old, wearing a brown one-piece that draped just over the knees, and in chains. She was being sold to a blonde, gray eyed, fairly well-built man who appeared to be either a noble, or was just extremely well off.

Whichever the case, he was dragging her away to a carriage in the distance by a chain connected to her bindings. Flanked by two armed men, the young demi-human was silently sobbing to herself as she was loaded in. Gabriel narrowed his eyes at the scene, feeling the spark of anger building up in his chest before he reined it in, and was reflecting upon these events...

 _'I should've expected this kind of scene. The Empire has a slave trade system. Most of which are non-human according to the intel, but human slavery is practiced too. Reforms should be in place granting rights to human slaves, but the term "slave rights", is an oxymoron. Whatever laws are in place, it's doubtful they're monitored, or even enforced, unless something draws the authorities' attention...'_

Just then, Gabriel was pulled from his thoughts by a clapping sound meant to silence the crowd and garner attention. As he looked over to their source, he saw a man in his mid to late 30s, with muscular arms, potbelly, blue eyes, and short-cut brown hair that was so precisely trimmed and faded that it reminded Gabriel of a "buzz-cut". The man then spoke with the tone and body-language of a showman and salesman in one...

"Ladies and gentlemen! Many thanks for your patience and your patronage today, as we have shown you fine selections of demi-humans for your, 'many' needs..."

The man paused as an amused grin formed for a split-second as he gazed in the direction of the departing carriage, before then continuing.

"We have shown you many fine examples of demi-humans from the far reaches of the continent..."

As the man continued on his monologue, Gabriel noticed a shift in the general mood of the people in the crowd. Most had been grimacing, with unsatisfied looks on their faces as they seemed to be barely exercising patience with the man in question. Though they spoke quietly, Gabriel could pick out bits and pieces of the side comments...

"Grr... Will this arse hurry up..."

"Baital... you wretch... stop talkin' and get on with it..."

"Aaaah... Meh..."

"... prices are ridiculous for what this charlatan has been pandering..."

"... few good ones got snatched up before I could bid..."

"By the gods, this next one better be worth it. My business needs the labor to stay afloat..."

The general consensus was that the people were unsatisfied and disgruntled by the "services", and the man now known to Gabriel as "Baital", was not well liked. Just as he was mulling on these new bits of information, it seemed that the man's self-indulgent speech was coming to an end...

"Now then good patrons, allow me to show you the prize of our collection. A female elf, who will no doubt be able to provide for whatever you may require.~"

Baital then motioned towards a nearby carriage that opened its doors as if on cue. A muscular man with black, mid-length hair and amber eyes walks out holding a chain in his right hand. Connected to it was indeed a female elf with blonde hair so long that it reached down past her waist, covering her buttocks. She wore a brown, gown-like garment that went all the way down to her ankles, and as she lifted up her head, two violet colored eyes were shining in the afternoon sunlight.

""Oooooooh!~""

The men and women of the crowd collectively gasped at the beauty of the elf as they beheld her, but Gabriel's face was stone cold as he looked past her looks, and anger and disgust swelled within him. The elf-girl's eyes were empty and defeated as she kept her gaze down. The one exception that he saw was where her eyes met those of the man guiding her along, and he recognized hatred and revulsion in her shining violet orbs.

He had seen that look before. With the dragon Rahkar, whom he saved not long ago, and with other young people he had saved in the past on Earth. He wanted to intervene but again held himself back. The whole point was to remain incognito during his sojourn into this new world.

Drawing too much attention to himself would not help his goals in the slightest, and more than that, he once again worried over the consequences should he become too involved in this world's affairs. He alone had power enough to level the whole city, and would still have strength to spare to move on to the next. The dangers overshadowed everything else in the face of this fragile world. As he thought on this he slipped into a long ago memory...

* * *

 **Earth, Unknown Location, 1961**

Gabriel sat on a three-seat sofa in a room with high-class decor of the period. Across from him sat Alisha in her human "disguise", wearing a white dress, and a calm but blank facial expression as she looked down towards his lap. Resting its head on his left thigh was a girl of 14 years, and of Eurasian descent. She slept peacefully as he gently stroked the black locks of her hair with his left hand, with only the sounds of her breathing being heard, until Alisha spoke up in a low tone, but with a serious edge.

"Gabe, honey. Do you know what you just did?"

There was silence briefly as Gabriel continued to look down at the girl with eyes of pity, before he lifted his head to look upon his wife and bondmate with conviction.

"Yeah, I do. I saved this kid from a life of being some perverse scumbag's cock-holster." Gabriel replied in an equally low, and serious edge to his voice.

The two stared each other down in silence. Words were unnecessary as they could feel the emotions of the other. Alisha was displeased, and even a little annoyed, while Gabriel was resolute in his position, with a touch of simmering rage being barely held in check by their bond. This went on for a few minutes before Alisha relented, and let out a fatigued sigh before calmly speaking.

"My love, I understand why you did it, but you should have known better. This mission we are on is a serious and important one, despite it coming from the Hierarchy. This... complication, puts IT and the lives associated with it at risk. I am thankful that you had the presence of mind to at least hide your appearance, but what you did was reckless."

"So I should have left her there? Is that what you're saying?"

Alisha sighs tiredly as she shakes her head before answering.

"Not entirely. We could have gone back later, and..."

Alisha was cut off as Gabriel spoke through gritted teeth.

"Angel, 'later', would have been far too late for this girl. I couldn't do it. And as much as I hated the thought of adding to the coffers of the underground slave trade, it was either that, or I kill everyone there."

Gabriel had a deathly serious expression as he said his piece, and Alisha did not doubt his words. Still, despite her attempts at criticism at his actions, a part of her was pleased at them, but she also knew that this could not be repeated. And so as she took in a slight breath, she calmly spoke once again.

"I'll see to it that the girl is given to a good family. One that can be trusted."

"Huh? You're not... going to take her into your 'acolytes'?" Gabriel replied in surprise and confusion.

"No, honey, I am not. The nature of the mission demands we leave no trace that we were ever here. I'll see to it that the girl's memories are adjusted so that she'll retain no memory of us. Furthermore, while I understand your desire to help people Gabe, you must remember that there are times where you simply can't. Some things are worth more than a single life, and this mission is one of them."

A bitter expression came over Gabriel as he listened to his love. He knew she was right and could not protest as he looked down at the girl. He was happy that he saved the sleeping youth, but knew that had their mission been compromised, much more than her life would been lost. Alisha sensed his growing disquiet, and as much as it pained her, she had to be firm in this, and thus continued...

"Remember this always, my love; saving someone, no matter how well intentioned, can come at a cost. This time, you were lucky. Next time? The consequences can mean the difference between saving some, and saving none..."

* * *

Gabriel was brought back from his reflections as the crowd's murmuring had reached a loud cacophony of mixed voices. He grit his teeth as he was about to turn to walk away from the scene when a sudden female cry had caught his attention.

"Aacck!"

He turned his head sharply, and his vision narrowed as he fumed at the sight of the elf-girl being groped in public, so that the fabric of her brown garb can cling to and outline her shapely body for the crowd to see. Her bound hands were latched to an overhead frame as she tried to struggle against the wandering hands.

The man that had dragged her in chains was behind her doing the groping with a lewd grin on his face. He moved up to her chest, cupping and fondling her breasts, much to the crowd's enjoyment of seeing her shapely mid-sized bosom. This was to show the quality of their "product" for all to see. Gabriel could barely contain his disgust at the scene, and moved to leave before his restraint left him. Just as he turned to leave, a side conversation between two men in the crowd caught his attention.

"Hey, Jellul. Isn't it a bit strange?"

"Yeah, it is. Most of the time the slaves are stripped by now."

"Heh. You think that ass Baital caved in to a complaint?"

"Naaah.~ This is something else. Don't know what, but it makes for a good show..."

This small bit of information halted Gabriel in his tracks, and contained his disgust as he looked back at the scene and studied the elf-girl with scrutinizing eyes. Something was amiss with her. She seemed weak despite her resistance, and certain areas of her body that was groped made her wince as if she were in pain. With his enhanced hearing he was able to hear what the man was saying in her ear during this...

"I hope no one bids on you, lil' elfie. Me an' tha' boys wanted to have more fun with ya' today, but the boss needed ta' make his coin..."

With that bit of banter from the crude man molesting the elf, certain things fell into place, and a glint of understanding flashed in Gabriel's eyes. He had a hunch and was fairly certain he was correct, but doubt, indecision, and a recent memory kept him in place. As he weighed his options, a voice within the depths of his subconscious spoke out to him...

 _/"Young Gabriel, though you cannot hear me yet in a waking state, this I must to say to you: do not fear and do not doubt. It is good that you honor Alisha's teachings and her memory, but do not cling to them so much that they keep you from making your own decisions. For good or ill, you must walk your own path. If it is your wish to stop this distasteful display, then do so. Heh. And I know that you will do it with all due care and caution taken..."/_

"Tsk!"

As if in response to the voice that was steadily fading in his mind, Gabriel sharply turned back in the direction of the event, and made his way through the crowd, drawing a few curious stares along the way. As he did, the organizer of the slave auction named Baital began to speak.

"Now dear patrons, please prepare your bids. Starting price is 50 gold coins for this sumptuous beauty you see here before you..."

As Gabriel steadily pushed his way through the crowd, his thoughts raced.

 _'Damn it! What am I doing? This is stupid. This ill-conceived plan is the farthest thing from "low-profile" as you can get. Gaaah!'_

* * *

Meanwhile, the elf was still getting groped despite the "show" being cancelled by the auction's organizer. The other man didn't seem to care, and relished in his depravity. Finding a modicum of defiance within her, the elf-girl glared at him, and as he grinned at her reaction, she seemed to contain a small cough, and then spat in the man's left eye. He reeled from the sudden glob of sputum painfully hitting his eyeball.

"You little...!"

The man exclaimed through gritted teeth, as his right hand curled into a fist, and was preparing to strike his anger's target. Baital seemed indifferent to the whole thing, despite objections from the crowd. It seemed seeing a beautiful and defenseless elf-girl like her offended the crowd, but before she could contemplate on this she closed her eyes and braced herself, expecting the retaliatory punch.

*THUD!*

The elf-girl slowly opened her eyes when she did not feel the fist make contact, but then they widened at the sight she saw. A hooded man had grabbed onto her would-be assailant's wrist, stopping him cold. She was stunned at the sight, expecting no one from the crowd would come to her aid. She was further shocked when the man pulled back and threw her tormentor to the stone ground in one swift motion.

"Oi! You bastard! Whaddaya think yur' doin'?!"

The thrown man raged as he got up with a face covered in dirt and sputum. He was now humiliated twice in a row, and ceased to care about appearances as he again drew back his right fist to strike the hooded stranger. The elf-girl's eyes widened in confusion at what to do, or even how to feel.

She had nothing positive to think or feel about humans since she had been brought to the Baharuth Empire. Yet the sight of the hooded man about to be struck down brought forth chaos in her heart. That moment of indecision cost her the chance to warn him, but it unnecessary.

As if he had eyes in the back of his head, the hooded man shifted slightly to his right, with the fist completely missing its mark. In one smooth motion, the man then lifted the joined index and middle fingers of his left hand, and in a gentle manner, tapped the fist up into the air. Suddenly, his left hand curled into a fist, and the back of it was forcefully brought down onto the other man's groin.

*CRUNCH!*

Everyone in the crowd, male and female alike, winced at the sound that echoed through the air as they barely caught a glimpse of the attack that bounced off the bulge in the man's trousers that now seemed smaller.

"HIIIEEEEEEEE!"

The man's once deep voice suddenly became high-pitched as he cradled the area of his manhood and fell to the ground, wailing like a child that had experienced extreme pain for the first time in its life. The hooded man didn't even look back at the crying mess on the ground as he turned his attention to the still-on-display elf-girl, who watched on with her lips curling into a satisfied smile at the scene.

During this, the auction's organizer Baital, was watching on in stunned silence, along with the crowd. They all stayed behind a marked line in the stone, as it was standard etiquette that no one passes it unless called on. This breach of protocol had all eyes on the hooded man that seemed to be inspecting the elf-girl, whom was frozen when he stood in front of her.

Her eyes met his, and all at once she was captivated by the shining emerald eyes of the man. His eyes seemed to hold power in them, commanding her attention, and a mix of confusing emotions rose up within her as she thought to herself.

 _'Who... is this man? Why? Why did he help me? And why does he make me feel so... safe?'_

Her thoughts were cut short as a pair of armed men quickly ran over to Baital, flanking him on either side, ready to draw the swords at their sides. The hooded man took the elf-girl's chin in his left hand and gently moved her head from side to side. As if her was studying her.

"Eek!"

The elf-girl squeaked in surprise as he pulled her garment slightly away from her body to peer down the lengths of her naked form underneath. She gritted her teeth in anger at this, thinking she was mistaken about her "savior". He did the same to her backside, and as he leaned next to her left ear, he suddenly whispered.

"I'm here to help. Just play along."

"... Eh?"

The elf-girl let out a confused breath as he stepped away from her and looked to Baital whom, despite looking like the picture of calm, was staring daggers at the man in the hood. He folded his muscular arms and spoke in cold, venomous tones.

"Just who are you, and why did you step over the line? None have violated the rules in quite a while. If I do not like your answer, these 'gentlemen' beside me will educate you on such matters. As well as make you pay for harming poor Fajo over there."

A few more men start dragging the still wailing Fajo away while Gabriel pulls back on his hood. More than a few gasps from men and women alike escaped the crowd as they saw the handsome man with strong features, healthy skin, emerald green eyes, and long, golden blonde hair that disappeared into his cloak. Even the currently hostile Baital was taken aback for a moment. The man then spoke up in a strong, yet calm tone...

"Call me Ishmael."

Baital was unnerved for a moment by the man now known to him as "Ishmael". His calm demeanor and looks had disarmed him for a moment before a spark of anger helped him regain his wits. His right eye twitched as he spoke in a growl.

"And?! Explain yourself."

"Oh? I would ask the same of you. You had spoken at length as to the quality of your product, and yet you try to swindle your 'honored patrons'."

Due to the design of the square that they were in, and the loud inflections of their voices, everyone in the crowd could hear the exchange. At the mention of the word "swindle", there was curious murmuring from the crowd as "Ishmael" continued.

"When people come here, and listen to you bluster and your posturing in regards to what you offer, they expect a return on what is promised..."

If "Ishmeal" had anything else to say, he was promptly interrupted by a clearly offended Baital bellowing at the top of his lungs.

"HOW DARE YOU?! Y-YOU... NOBODY! I have had just about enough of your... your... insinuations!"

"Ishmael" didn't even flinch at the man's anger, seemingly impressing a number of the people in the crowd. He then calmly turned back to the elf-girl and stood next to her as he calmly spoke again.

"So then, you stand by your words as to the quality of your 'product'?"

"O-Of course! I stand by..."

Baital halted his speech when "Ishmael" turned back to the elf-girl, and turned her around, with her hands still above her in the connected frame. He brushed her hair to the front as he started to unbutton the back of her garment. Baital seemed flustered at this and moved to stop it.

"Now hold just a minute...!"

Immediately, "Ishmael" turned his head in response, still unbuttoning the elf-girl's garment as he spoke in neutral tones.

"Hm? What's wrong? Surely there should be no issues."

"That's not...!"

Without giving him time to reply, the back of the elf-girl's garment had been forced open, and collective gasps rang out through the gathered crowd. Her skin was covered in bruises, lash marks, and bite marks that were obviously human in origin. In addition, she was also showing signs of malnutrition from her overly skinny build. "Ishmael" then turned back to Baital with an empty expression as he spoke in a matching tone.

"Well? Care to explain?"

Baital grit his teeth in his closed mouth, trying his best to remain calm despite having been caught in this embarrassment he did his best to conceal. Now it was a matter to try and save face in the situation as he motioned his guards to stand down.

"Explain what, pray tell? It's just an elf. Everyone should expect this sort of thing, should they not?"

The casual nature of the comment made "Ishmael" narrow his vision at Baital, but he remained calm as he continued speaking for all to hear.

"Whether she's 'just an elf', is completely irrelevant. When your patrons arrive, they expect quality product. Not to be swindled by damaged goods."

"... !"

Baital motioned to say something else, but "Ishmael" continued speaking regardless, turning to address the crowd as he did.

"My fellow 'patrons', I ask you this: Is there ANY fairness in paying full-price in flawed and damaged goods? Is that not a complete slight in the face of your hard-earned coin? Should we not expect a return that matches the price of our investment? Shouldn't we consider an attempt at making us pay full price for less-than-pristine product an insult?"

The crowd murmured in approval at his words, and indeed it made complete sense. This revelation, combined with the man's words, and their already present dislike for Baital was more than enough for the murmurs to become an angry chorus of shouts. Just then "Ishmael" lifted his hand in a gesture to ask for silence. Given the people's newfound respect for him, they complied as he once again spoke.

"I am not an unreasonable man, Messere Baital..."

He then suddenly threw a brown coin-purse at Baital's feet before continuing...

"Here is my offer: I shall give you 30 gold in exchange for this elf. Not an unreasonable offer due to the circumstances, no? As the customer, I will be the one to incur the extra expenses due to your negligence. Everything from food, clothing, and most especially the healing will be coming out of my own pockets. A fair deal no matter how you look at it. After all, are we not your, 'honored patrons'?"

Once again, a chorus of approval met his words, and the whole atmosphere shifted into one that could erupt into a full-blown riot if things were not handled carefully. Baital had been grinding his teeth throughout the whole affair, and cursed his luck and hesitation as things played out. As he looked out the corner of his eye to scan the crowd, he knew that he no longer had the luxury of control, and thus swallowed his pride as he replied with a smile and a courteous bow.

"Indeed, sir. I greatly apologize for this. As a show of good faith, your deal is accepted, and the elf is now yours."

"Thank you kindly. Oh. One other thing..."

"Ishmael" pulled out a [Blue Potion] as he walked towards Baital and offered it to him.

"This is for that fellow, Fajo. I hope it's understood that I was merely defending myself."

Baital looked at the man in surprise, since the potion offered was hardly cheap. He had hesitated for a moment when at the corner of his eye he could have sworn he saw the man smirking. Anger flared in his chest at the mockery if that was truly the case, but as the crowd murmured in surprise and awe, he realized that he could not refuse such an offer. It was possibly a ploy to continue to have the crowd's favor, as it was a trick he himself had used in the past. Regardless, he had little choice...

"I apologize for that incident, and I do thank you for your, 'generosity'."

"Hm. Apology accepted. Now, if you'd be so kind, I'll be now taking my property with me."

"Oh, but of course.~ Here is the key to her chains."

As Baital was handing over the said key, he tried to drop it in a feigned attempt at clumsiness, but "Ishmael" was too quick, and was able to swiftly grab hold of it before it fell to the ground.

"Thank you. Have a good day now." He cordially said before walking back to the elf-girl, leaving a quietly fuming Baital.

Before "Ishmael" re-did the buttons on her garment, he pulled out another potion and carefully poured the contents all over her back. The cold liquid suddenly flowing over her bare skin briefly made her wince, but then as the magic healed her, a relieved moan escape her lips. Once again, the crowd was taken aback by the gesture, but a few gave approving nods at the action, as he redid her buttons and unlocked her chains.

She still seemed wobbly on her feet, but could still stand for the most part as the elf-girl turned around and looked upon her savior/owner. She still did not know how to react to the sudden turn of events as she held her hands together in her chest as if she were bracing herself for something.

"What's your name young lady?" He said softly, yet sternly.

"Hup! I... Um... M-Miera." She mumbled in reply.

"Can you walk on your own?"

"Eh? Um... yes. I... think I can."

"Good. Then please follow me." He said as he turned to his right towards the crowd.

"R-Right!" Miera quickly replied, following closely behind.

The crowd parted for "Ishmael", and his newly bought elf-slave Miera, so that they may pass unfettered. As they did, the pair suddenly heard clapping from 1 or 2 individuals, which from there the whole crowd exploded into a standing ovation. The elf-girl was taken aback by the display, seemingly shrinking into herself, while "Ishmael" smiled and gave a few bows to the crowd in appreciation. As he did he thought to himself...

 _'Ugh, fer' cryin' out loud. This is definitely more attention than needed. Still, I'm glad I did this. I can only hope that this doesn't complicate matters...'_

As they walked away from the continuing applause, the auctioneer Baital shook in place from anger as he watched the pair fade from view. His gums bled from gritting his teeth as he stood and ignored the guard to his right that was trying to get his attention.

 _'Gods' dammit! How...? What just happened?! Damn it! This is a complete farce! I won't let this stand. Ishmael... Enjoy your elf... while you can!'_

* * *

Sometime later, Gabriel, whom was still known as "Ishmael" to the elf-girl named Miera, was walking down a stone sidewalk being closely followed by her. Miera now wore an additional brown cloak with hood, very similar to what Gabriel wore, and a pair of simple brown leather shoes with straps. She was given these items when the two of them had briefly ducked into an alleyway to cross into this street, as well as another [Blue Potion] to aid in her recovery.

This only served to further deepen her confusion. She had never known a single human to act as this man had. Having come from the Elf Country to the south, all she had ever known of humans was through their war with the Slane Theocracy. Her village had been warned to leave before Theocracy troops had invaded, but it was almost too late. They were upon her home before she could flee with the others. With nowhere left to hide, she used an ancient, wooden magical artifact left by her mother for an emergency.

To her amazement, it had teleported her away from the chaos of war, but found herself in an unfamiliar land. Miera saw a caravan, and ran to them seeking information and aid, but little did she know that the caravan she saw, was a slaver's caravan on its way to the trade city of Kesavine. That is how she ended up in their hands, and every step of the way, she knew only pain and suffering at human hands, just as her country did. But then how was she to explain this human man?

 _'I... I don't understand. Mother, you always said humans couldn't be trusted, and nothing in this foreign land made me doubt you. But this human, Ishmael. He's so different. From his eyes, to his voice...'_

He spoke only a few times to her, and while his voice was firm, it was also soft. Like how a parent would speak to their child. Furthermore, she could not shake the image of his eyes from her mind. They were strong, willful, and every time she looked into them, she detected not a hint of the lust or perversion from them. Instead, they brought her a strange sense of comfort and safety. Like everything would be alright as long as she was near him. While still wary of him, he did help her, and it was enough to let her hope.

Meanwhile, Gabriel was leading them towards a mid-class inn that one of the local vendors had suggested to him. While he still had some lingering doubts as to potential consequences of his latest actions, he felt pleased at the results at how he managed to save the elf-girl Miera. Still, a sense of disquiet filled him, a sense that he couldn't shake that something would come from this regardless.

* * *

 **City of Kesavine, High-Class District  
-2 hrs. later-**

Like any other city in the Empire, or any other country for that matter, Kesavine had a district reserved for the wealthy and the powerful. This was most especially true for a trade city, and in this district a large, well-kept manor seemed like it was a central piece in the outer section of it. In this three-story manor, rested the top-floor office of one of the city's more prominent businessmen, Leol Furt Rymune.

He was a man in his mid-to-late 40s, with well groomed maroon colored hair, blue eyes, and a thin but toned build. He wore fine garments that seemed to gleam under the soft vanilla light of the [Continual Light Lamps] that surrounded his desk that had neatly organized scrolls and papers in piles according to their importance. His purple colored pants had not a blemish as he seemed to brush away imaginary dust from them.

His white top with purple ascot matched the set quite well as the man elegantly drank the last of an amber colored liquid from a small glass with a single ice-cube. As he set the glass down, a spark of what seemed to be disappointment flashed across his face as he greeted the slave auctioneer Baital into his office.

"Ah, Baital. Please come on. I have been expecting you."

The man did as he was instructed, but slightly tripped on a type of sheet that covered the length of the carpeted floor as he did. Leol Furt Rymune then spoke in a cordial tone as he saw this.

"Oh, do mind the tarp. I will soon have this room repainted, and as cumbersome as it is, it's quite necessary."

"I-It's not a problem, my lord." Baital said with a bow as he carefully walked on the gray tarp over to his superior.

He stopped about 4 feet (121.9cm) in front of the finely crafted and polished desk of dark oak, and bowed once more to show his respect. Leol simply leaned back in his chair and interlaced the fingers of his hands as his vision slightly narrowed on Baital. He let out a light sigh before then speaking in a calm, deliberate, and authoritarian tone.

"I am sure you are already aware of why I summoned you here, Baital. I had received the reports of what had happened at the auction. I must say that I'm quite... disappointed."

The man's brow slightly perked at that last word. He could not recall the last time he had heard his employer use it in conversation. It brought about both confusion, and uncertainty as he then reflexively spoke up.

"Begging your pardon sir, but if this is about the lower than expected profits, I know I can take measures to correct..."

Leol lightly shook his head at Baital's assertion as he calmly continued.

"While I am quite certain that you can make good on that claim Baital, that is not what I meant. First, I shall say that in the five years you have worked for me, you have never given me reason to doubt your abilities. You rose from the very bottom, and had proved yourself quite competent. So long as things went well, I saw no reason to scrutinize your actions, or those under you..."

The man lifted a single finger to forestall any comments as he continued in a composed manner.

"So, imagine my surprise, when I had learned of today's events. Trying to sell off a used and damage slave under false pretenses? It was indeed unexpected, as I clearly recall having left instructions that all slaves sold in my name be in pristine condition. Especially those of elven make. They command excellent prices after all."

"Y-Yes, my lord. I-I very sorry about that. The men... they... they hadn't had an elf like that in so long, they... just couldn't help themselves. When time for the auction came, I thought it best to..."

Baital's nervous stumbling of words was halted by a raised hand from Leol.

"While I would not begrudge my people having a bit of fun with the slaves prior to their auction, I would still expect my instructions to be remembered and carried out. Tell me, is there some reason why you simply could not have taken the elf-girl to the Temple on the way, or used a few potions to heal the deformities, instead of trying to conceal them?" Leol coldly asked.

"B-But sir... To use such expensive healing on an elf..."

"Aaaah. I see. So, you allowed your personal prejudices to affect your better judgement. And as a result, not only were financial losses incurred, but also the good reputation of this establishment I had built, along with the trust of our clientele. All for the sake of saving 2 to 5 gold coins. On a elf. Please, tell me if I am in error." Leol stated in empty tones.

Baital looked as if he had swallowed poison as all color drained from his face from the full realization of his shallow thinking and actions. As much as he fumed over his recent encounter with the man calling himself Ishmael, he now felt his heart sink into his belly as he was forced to admit the truth in dejection.

"N-No, my lord. You're not."

"I see. As I said before, I am disappointed." Leol replied with a heavy sigh.

He slowly stood up, walked behind the chair of his desk, and opened a window curtain to gaze upon the outside world. He stood in place with his arms behind his back as he remained silent, unnerving the already unsettled Baital behind him.

Leol Furt Rymune was once a noble of the Baharuth Empire, and had established quite a few lucritive "side-businesses". These dealt in trade goods such as spices, magical items, silks, and most especially slaves. It could be said he was the type to plan for the future, whereas others lived only for the present.

Never was that more apparent when, after a few brief meetings with the Royal Family, in particular a younger Jircniv Rune Farlord El Nix, did he do what had shocked most in the noble community: he had renounced his own noble status, and turned over most of his known holdings to a noble house beneath his. Of course, the vast majority of the Empire's nobles mocked him for his decision, and by the end of that year, those same nobles that mocked him were dead from the Bloody Emperor's purges. Meanwhile, he was thriving in the trade city of Kesavine. In the end, he literally had the last laugh.

He thought himself a good judge of people and situations, and his survival proved that much. Still, he was only human, and prone to the occasional mistake. Something he was now reminded of as he looked upon Baital in a reflection in the glass. He sighed one last time, and spoke in a low, cold tone.

"Baital. You understand that a mistake of this nature cannot be made again, correct?"

The named man straightened his posture after being addressed, and gave a deep bow as he replied in reverential tones.

"Yes, my lord. I understand. This won't happen again."

Baital breathed a sigh of relief as he raised himself from his bow, and saw that his superior had yet to turn back to face him. He perked a brow thinking it strange...

"GAHCK!"

Suddenly two daggers flashed across his face, and his hands reached up to his neck when a sharp, burning pain assaulted his skin. His eyes widened in horror as he felt his palms drenched in warm wetness, and tasted copper as he began to choke on his own blood. Baital fell to his knees as he felt his strength and his consciousness fading. Before all went black, he heard his superior mutter in an empty voice...

"You are correct, Baital. It won't happen again."

*THUD!*

The man's body fell face-first onto the gray tarp as he slipped into unconsciousness. His body spasmed for only a few more moments before his life left him. Standing at his feet was a distorted image of a woman that slowly faded into view. She wore a red and black full body suit, with a black cloak, hood, and mask that covered all but her sharp, gray eyes. She was 5 feet, 10 inches (177.8cm) tall, and had an athletic build.

Two shimmering, curved, dark green-colored daggers were swiftly sheathed as the kill was confirmed, and she took a bow towards Leol, and spoke with a distorted voice.

"Master, this makes the last one."

"Hm. Very good, Lucille. I assume you also took care of that fool, Fajo?" Leol asked in a cold manner.

"Of course. That was the contract."

"Indeed. This should serve as appropriate warning to the others."

As they were conversing, the black and red clad woman identified as "Lucille", stepped next to the desk, and as soon as she did, she clapped her hands together as if in a praying stance. The instant she did, the tarp seemed to come alive as it rose in a ghostly manner, and then slowly wrapped itself around the body of Baital like a cocoon. When it was done, not a single drop of blood had spilled onto the soft blue carpet underneath.

The female assassin then turned to regard her master, still speaking in a distorted voice.

"Master, what shall we do about that other man?"

The former noble slightly turned his head to the left to reply to the woman's query.

"Hm? Oh. You mean that strange man who called himself, Ishmael. You need not worry about him." He calmly stated.

"Master, if I may, isn't he the one that embarrassed your operation?" She asked in a confused head-tilt.

"He he he. Not at all my dear. In fact, it's quite the opposite. His actions have saved me quite a bit in regards to future problems. If anything, I owe that man a dept of gratitude. Although, it is a bit strange. From your report, he arrived recently as nothing more than a wandering vagabond. And yet, he had the coin to not only afford healing potions, but also an elven slave. Hmm..."

Leol then cupped his chin with his right thumb and index finger as he pondered the riddle that is, "Ishmael". In his experience, those whom could have the coin to do what he did would not choose the life of a wanderer. The reports he had on the incident also mentioned how he defended himself from the now deceased Fajo. He was inclined to assume he was an adventurer or worker, given the available information, but his finely honed instincts quickly swept that aside as he turned back to Lucille.

"Tell me, where was that elf-girl taken before she was brought to our operation?"

"Yes, master. I believe she was taken to the cell operated by 'Countess' Rivka Aie Rile Jellico."

At the mention of that name, a displeased growl escaped Leol's throat as he stared daggers through the glass of his window with an intense disgust and contempt. He then spoke in an equally baleful tone as he turned to sit back down at his desk.

"Bah! That delusional she-bastard that was not important enough to kill during the purges. How quaint. Yet another source of problems."

"If I may master, why not simply eliminate her?"

"Hm... Few things would fill me with greater joy, than to see that deleterious fool dead at my feet. Sadly, it is not that simple. Even you would have trouble getting past her defenses, and she has enough connections to make a move on her, precarious at best."

A displeased scowl washed over Leol's face as he seemed to settle into thought on the matter. Realizing her master's mood, the female assassin Lucille slightly bowed and then walked over to Baital's now wrapped corpse. In an impressive display of strength, she had thrown the body over her right shoulder, and seemed to carrying the weight as if it were nothing more than a sack of potatoes. She then turned to address her master.

"Shall I call on the girls to help lighten your mood, master?"

"Hm? No, that will be unnecessary. Tell them that the evening is theirs. That applies to you as well."

"That's... quite generous, master. Good day then." Lucille said with a bow before her form faded out of sight.

Even after she had left, Leol remained pensive, his sight focusing on nothing while he organized his thoughts and went over the day's events. After what seemed to be 10 minutes of this, an amused smirk curled his lips as he thought to himself.

 _'Ishmael, or whatever your name is. My instincts tell me, that there is more to you than meets the eye. I am looking forward to seeing if my suspicions are correct.'_

...

* * *

 ***A/N: Sorry it took a while to release this. I've had a lot of things get in the way. Also had to cut material from this chapter for use in the next, just to promptly get this out the door. That's life for you. Oh! Big shout-out to fellow fanfic-writer, UndeadLord22 for the references to my work in his story, and for the use of his in mine. ;) Anywho, please leave a review/send a PM. Now, let's hope I can get the next chapter of my crossover out the door before the month's end. Later!***


	12. Chapter 12-Pay It Forward

**Chapter 12-Pay It Foward  
**

 **City of Kesavine, Silver Sparrow Inn**

After making a few stops to purchase for some additional clothes for the elf-girl named Miera, Gabriel had just arrived at the finest mid-class inn of Kesavine called the, "Silver Sparrow Inn". He felt it was a reasonable compromise in trying to maintain a low profile, whilst still having a decent standard in living. Although this was not just for his sake, but also for his newest companion.

The inn itself was well kept, and had various areas for lounging, taking meals, and even a bar. Kesavine was a trade city, and thus the various inns had been configured to serve the needs of its clientele, whoever they were, and wherever they are from. Despite a few side-ways looks he received, Gabriel signed in, paid for lodging for a few days, and received his room key. He wanted a room with two beds, but none were open at that moment, so he was forced to settle with a single bed room.

Meanwhile, Miera had remained quiet throughout, and it did not take much for Gabriel to guess that it was due to the fear her experiences had instilled in her. Despite the fact he had saved her, he was still the human that "bought" her, and was now her defacto owner and master. Still, he had allayed much of those fears by treating her with a sort of stoic respect and kindness, as well as treating her to food bought from street vendors during their way to the inn, which she greedily ate with all her might.

After climbing a flight of stairs to the third floor, Gabriel used his key to open a room labeled, "28". It had intrigued Gabriel that despite the different languages, this new world used the exact same numerical system as the one he came from. Although, with the possibility of Players like himself having been to this world before, he had quickly brushed those thoughts aside as he unlocked and stepped in the room with Meira following close behind.

Though a decently furnished mid-class room, Gabriel was neither disappointed, nor impressed. If anything, he was indifferent. He had seen and experienced the best and worst life had to offer in terms of living conditions. Everything from a makeshift shelter in the middle of a warzone, to a 5-star hotel, so he could adapt relatively quickly to his environs. Although, after experiencing the grand, magically dream-like living conditions of Dracon's Keep, a part of himself felt a tinge of longing.

He chuckled at that as he gazed upon the room, eliciting a confused look from his newest elf traveling companion, who surprisingly decided to speak up of her own will, albeit hesitantly.

"I-Is something the matter, m-master?"

Gabriel turned and looked upon her with a gentle expression as he spoke softly.

"Miera, I've already said on the way here, there's no need to call me, 'master'. Call me Ishmael."

"Oh! R-Right! I'm sorry."

Gabriel smiled warmly as he gently placed his right on top of her head. Miera flinched from the action for a moment as she closed her eyes, but then slowly opened them again. As she saw his warm expression, he softly spoke as their eyes met.

"Be at ease. You don't need to apologize either."

"I... o-okay." She quietly replied.

Gabriel softly nodded as he turned to his right walked into the "washroom" to inspect its facilities. Meanwhile, Meira had a dazed look on her face as she placed both of her hands on top of head, with her cheeks slightly reddened.

 _'Why... why is that man so different from the rest? He's stern, but so... warm, and kind. He reminds me so much of my...'_

Miera's thoughts trail off as she hears the sounds of running water in the the lodging's washroom. She turns to her left to see "Ishmael" inspecting the sink with an inquisitive look on his face. He repeats this process with the handles in the bathtub, watching the results with a scrutinizing gaze that made her wonder if something was wrong.

For Gabriel, he was merely curious, as he had heard of running water being produced by magical items and facilities in this new world. According to the information he had obtained, items that produced running water, and even toilets were "innovations" that had been introduced by the "Minotaur Sage" over 200 years ago in this new world. He was the one that proposed the creation and implementation of modern appliances and techniques that were used to this day.

He was also called the "Boastful Sage", because he always had grandiose ideas for these items, but was unable to explain or clarify how such items functioned, why they needed to be a certain shape, or why they were needed. He hailed from the Great Minotaur Nation, where humanoids used to be treated as food, but are now treated as slaves for labor. This social "reform" is credited to the Minotaur Sage as well.

 _'Too many coincidences... After all the information Walter and Tamura had obtained, it's obvious Players like myself had appeared in this world before. In the bodies of their game avatars no less. But why are these appearances so spread out over centuries?...'_

Gabriel's thoughts were halted as he noticed Miera looking at him expectantly. He could only sigh at himself for becoming lost in thought given the circumstances, so he smiled and nodded to her as he exited the washroom, and softly spoke to her.

"I assume you know how to use these facilities, correct?"

"Eh?... O-Oh! Y-Yes. I do. My village had a place that had a few similar items that we could use in the summer." Miera answered a bit timidly.

"I see. Well then, feel free to use them. I'm sure that you would like to freshen up and get a hot bath." Gabriel said as he held out her new, clean clothes in a folded pile for her to take from his hands.

"Huh? But... what about you, I-Ishmael?" She asked in a unsure manner as she looked at fresh garments that seemed to beckon her attention.

"It will be fine, so do not worry. I can wash up later. You deserve to use them first far more than I do."

Miera was taken aback by both the comment, and the warm friendly smile that had accompanied it. More than that, was the heat that she felt rising to her cheeks as she looked upon the warm, smiling expression of "Ishmael". The man that had saved her from a terrible fate, and had shown her nothing but patience and kindness. Her heart skipped a beat as she realized her disposition. She was acting like something akin to what could be described as an awestruck maiden.

Swelling with embarrassment, she hurriedly snatched the clothing from Ishmael's grasp and bowed as she spoke with a flustered yelp.

"T-Then excuse me!"

She all but ran into the washroom as she slammed the door and locked it almost in one motion. Meanwhile, Gabriel could not help but smile in amusement, and even with a hint of pride at her actions, as he then turned and walked over to the foot of the queen sized bed. It had a rather sizable foot-locker made of well made and cured wood lined with brass. As he opened it and started placing his cloak, armor, and bags in it, he then sank into thought...

 _'She's a strong, and spirited girl, but a bit cute in her own way. Perhaps helping in her recovery won't be as difficult as I had thought. Especially if she can still find it within herself to behave like a flustered and embarrassed schoolgirl...'_

As Gabriel finished packing his things away, he was left wearing a simple brown long sleeve shirt and pants. He was barefoot as he climbed on top of the foot-locker and sat lotus style as he prepared for his meditation. As he did he could hear the water running in the nearby washroom, but then another sound filtered into his ears. The telltale signs of a *BEEP*, indicating the use of the [Message] spell being used, as he then placed his left hand over his ear, which bore his [Ring of Message].

 _[My Lord Gabriel.~]_

 _[Yes, Tamura?]_

 _[How fares your trip, my lord?]_

 _[Hm. Well, it has been enjoyable, although there have been a few complications along the way...]_

Gabriel then proceeded to explain the events in question that led to his rescuing of the elf-girl Miera from slavery. She listened intently, and although she remained silent, Gabriel could tell by her breathing that she was becoming upset at the condition and treatment of the elf-girl, but regained her composure part way through. After he had finished his explanation, Tamura spoke up in a tone of concern and curiosity...

 _[I see. Will either you or this "Miera" require any assistance, my lord?]_

 _[For the moment, we both should be fine. I will be aiding in her recovery from her ordeal, so hopefully things will work out.]_

 _[I am sure they will with you helping her, my lord. Lady Alisha also said that you were good at helping people.]_

 _[...]_

For a few seconds there was silence as Gabriel closed his eyes, and sighed in a fatigued manner. Then a slight smirk decorated his lips as he thought to himself...

 _'Bragging about me to your NPCs, Alisha? With the way you role-played, I shouldn't be surprised. Yet it makes me happy that they somehow remember the things you said to them. Maybe in the future, I can share a few stories with them...'_

Gabriel's thoughts came to an abrupt end when the panicky voice of Tamura chimed in over the [Message] link.

 _[M-My sincerest apologies, my lord! How thoughtless of me to bring up Lady Alisha so soon.]_

 _[Hehehe. It's fine Tamura. I know you meant no offense, and when time and opportunity allows, I would welcome the chance for you and Walter to speak of her.]_

 _[Oh, thank you my lord. You are most generous. I would be more than happy to do so, and I am certain Walter would feel the same way.]_

 _[It is no problem Tamura. Now then, I assume you didn't initially contact me just for that. Correct?]_

 _[O-Oh, indeed my lord. My apologies. We had received a report from Clara in the Drake Rider Country.]_

Gabriel recognized the name immediately. It was the name that he gave to a female dragonoid mercenary summon some time ago to act as both a liaison between Dracon's Keep and King Rahkar Ailouros, and as Gabriel had suspected, act as his consort to aid in his recovery and ease his burdens in trying to continue to lead his nation.

Gabriel knew from personal experience that the king would need a more personal touch to recover from his ordeal, and knew that the circumstance might allow for it, if it was handled properly. He left instructions to the NPC that, only if she was interested would she return any affections or advances, and to his surprise it seemed that things were mutual between them. It made the cooperation and relations between Dracon's Keep and the Land of the Drake Riders easier as a result.

 _[What did Clara have to report?]_

 _[Yes, my lord. It appears we have finally found Bwynleah's secret labs and research materials.]_

Gabriel's vision narrowed as he heard the name of the Yogg he defeated over a month ago. Through their interactions with King Rahkar, they had learned she would often brag about the progress of her experiments in her hidden locations within his country, but they were so well hidden that they could not find them. At least, not until now.

 _[And? What did you find?]_

 _[Yes, my lord! First, we dicovered that they were well hidden and sealed with powerful, unknown magicks.]_

 _[Unknown?]_ Gabriel perked a brow as she continued.

 _[Yes, Lord Gabriel. It did not conform to the magicks we are familiar with. Nor did it have anything in common with the "[Blood Magic]" you had shown us. It was an entirely new form of magic. However, Charon and the sisters noted that it bore striking similarities to the magic infused into her items and gear that were recovered in your battle. Using her items we were able to lift the veil hiding and sealing them away.]_

 _[Hmm... I see.]_ Gabriel commented thoughtfully before continuing.

 _[What did you find?]_

 _[It... was not good, my lord. From what we had uncovered, it seems we found the place where she conducted experiments on living beings. Nearly all of which were citizens of the Drake Rider Country that she had "punished", never to be seen again. King Rahkar was understandably furious and wanted everything within destroyed, but Clara was able to calm him down enough to agree to let you decide what to do with it.]_

 _[Indeed. Then tell me, what was so intriguing inside that she would do that?]_

 _[Yes! One of the things that caught her attention was Charon's report of real, viable [Mana Potions] stored there, as well as instructions on how to produce them. It seems that through Bwynleah's experiments, she had solved the riddle to making them.]_

In that moment, Gabriel fell silent at the news, and all at once understood why the NPC summon had worked to convince King Rahkar not to destroy everthing. In YGGDRASIL, there were no [Mana Potions] to be had at all, and the only way to recover lost mana, or "MP", as it was called in the game, was to wait for it to recover.

This was one of the things that often frustrated magic caster builds, and would use items to mitigate MP use, like using wands and scrolls for ancillary support spells, or a [Flying Carpet] to avoid use of the [Fly] spell. Little tricks like that often helped to stem the tide of defeat, and pull out a narrow win. Although there were items to aid in the acceleration of MP recover rates, there were no "true" mana potions to be had.

Due to the, "do it yourself, discover it yourself" nature of YGGDRASIL, many players had tried to craft MP recovery potions like one would craft an HP recovery potion. Until his transfer in this new world, he had heard not one bit of news regarding the successful creation of one. There were rumors that the top-ranked guild, "Seraphim" was able to decode the "secret-sauce" necessary to achieve this, but Alisha never had the chance to confirm those rumors, as she was the one to chase down and confirm information.

Gabriel thought on the new information, and weighed the potential implications against the realization of how this knowledge, and whatever else may be hidden within that laboratory, was gained. He was uncomfortable with the situation, but knew that there was only one real answer to give...

 _[Have Charon and the sisters begin transporting everything within to one of the storage annexes that have been built inside one of the nearby mountains to the Keep. Once that is completed, have our people going over her research materials. Nothing gets transported into the Keep until it has been thoroughly checked and cleared for safety.]_

 _[Uh? Um... My sincerest apologies for questioning your orders my lord, but if I may ask a question?]_

 _[Tamura, I know I've already said this before, but you are one of my trusted and faithful aids. I will always listen to what you have to say, and I welcome questions.]_ Gabriel said in the link with a pleased and prideful tone in his voice at her actions.

He wanted them to always ask questions and confirm orders. Not to blindly follow all of his commands, and he was happy to see that his higher ranking NPCs were taking those sentiments to heart. Tamura picked up on his pleased tone as the reticence faded from her voice as she spoke up again.

 _[Yes, my lord. My deepest thanks. Then... if I may ask, why not follow through with King Rahkar's initial response? Any knowledge gained from that witch's lab, that witch that had managed to sully your beautiful person with scars, seems in my eyes tainted. If I may speak frankly my lord, using it seems wrong somehow...]_ Tamura said in a saddened, distant tone as she finished saying her peace.

A small smile spread over his lips, as Gabriel felt warmth spread through his chest at her words, as he then replied with an equal amount of warmth.

 _[Tamura, first let me say that I am extremely happy that you had spoken your mind like this. You are truly the dutiful, kind soul that my late wife had created, and I couldn't be more pleased with your reaction.]_

 _[Hah? U-Um. T-Thank you my lord! You h-humble me with your words!]_ Tamura replied excitedly, giving Gabriel the image of her bowing during the [Message] link.

 _[Hahaha. You're most welcome Tamura. Now then, as to your question, it's true that it's morally questionable to save, and ultimately utilize the research that had been obtained through the deaths, torture, and experimentation of innocents. Still, if we simply destroy that research, then all the pain, misery, and deaths that it had caused, will all have been for nothing. And that is something I find even more reprehensible. At least in this way, all the suffering and deaths will have found some meaning, if it's used to help the people still living, in both the Keep, as well as the home Drake Rider Country, and perhaps other countries in the future. Do you understand now?]_

Gabriel could hear a gasp of what he could only assume was awe on the other end of the [Message] link, and there was silence for tens of seconds before Tamura replied with a voice of respect and reverence in her voice.

 _[Thank you for sharing your words of wisdom, my lord. Truly, it shames me that, despite being one of your more intelligent vassals, that I could not see what was directly in front of me. I shall etch this lesson into my heart.]_

 _[Hehe. Good girl, Tamura. Now then, the duration of the link is about to expire, and I require time to meditate. Is there anything else?]_

 _[O-Oh! There is one other matter, my lord. The Head Doctor, Althia Tanos, wished me to pass along a request that you see her as soon as you are able. I would have asked why, but I knew that her code would forbade her in discussing the details of another's medical matters.]_

 _[Ah, that's fine. Tell her I will see her within a few days. If it were urgent I'm sure the message would have included something else.]_

 _[Very good my lord. I shall relay your will. Safe travels my Lord Gabriel.]_

 _[Thank you, Tamura. Be well.]_

[Message Ends]

Gabriel then removed his ring, as he settled into a traditional meditation posture, with his hands interlaced and resting in his lap. His breathing steady, his eyes slowly closed as his conscious mind becomes still and tranquil...

...

During the time Gabriel held his silent conversation with Tamura via [Message], Miera had already settled into her hot bath after scrubbing down her hair and body. With an audible "aaaah~" sound, she let herself relax in the hot soapy water, feeling the tension leave her for the first time in her recent memory. She splashed some of the warm water on her face and settled into thought as she looked over the surface of the soapy water.

 _'This is wonderful. It's been so long since I've had a hot bath. The humans in this country are so spoiled.~ Human... That man. Ishmael. I... don't understand it. Why? Why did he save me? What's going to happen to me now? And why do I feel so safe with him here? Aaah.~ This is too much... I wonder if those other girls are alright...'_

The elf-girl lightly sighed as she laid back and allowed the feeling of the hot water to relax her. She decided to enjoy her moment of peace and comfort while she could, instead of pondering on an uncertain future.

* * *

 **City of Kesavine, High-Class District  
-Around the same time-**

In one of the manors of the central portion of Kesavine's high-class district, a slaver operation was well active, run by a woman who sat in a well-crafted and extremely expensive seat that was placed in the center of a large and luxuriously furnished space that one could have mistaken for a throne room.

She was a beautiful, attractive woman in her early 40s with smooth, clear vanilla skin. She had long, fiery red hair with curls and waves that draped over her shoulders, and looked upon a man moving into a kneeling position with cool aqua-blue eyes filled with superiority and contempt. Her considerable bust was accentuated by the red fabric that tightly bound her bosom with straps above and below.

This was Rivka Aie Rile Jellico, formally a countess of Baharuth Empire noble society, until the purges of the "Bloody Emperor" had drastically reduced their number, with her being one of the few spared, due to mainly her distance from political affairs, and the lack of involvement with court. As such, many deemed her, "not important enough to kill". Although, the many slaves she was in charge of distributing throughout other such ventures, would most likely disagree.

She drank from her golden wine goblet, listening to a report of their operations from the kneeling man. On her left stood a young girl of 13 years of age, with brown mid-length hair, wearing a simple white gown, looked down with empty, sunken light-amber eyes at a porcelain pitcher filled with chilled red wine.

This wine container was a magic item that kept its contents at a cool temperature for a period of time 3 times a day. She kept her vision settled on it like she was little more than a living doll, with the other 4 men in the room serving as guards looking upon her with eyes filled with pity.

"Jiselle.~"

The seated woman said the girl's name with a voice that was both commanding and mischievous as she smiled with a sadistic grin and motioned for the goblet in her left hand to be refilled. The young girl then moved to do so with near robotic movements and unblinking eyes. She then wordlessly moved back into position, still with the same empty and robotic countenence as before.

"Thank you, dearie.~ Now then, does that conclude your report?"

"Yes, Countess. All seems to be in order for the time being. Once the teams have been resupplied, they will be ready to go out to seek more slave candidates for the others." The moderately built man with an open faced helm dutifully replied.

Although, she was no longer a noble, Rivka Aie Rile Jellico had never dropped her title of "Countess". As she ran a series of operations that collected the slaves to be sold by others, as well as her "legitimate" businesses that served as fronts, and additional sources of revenue. In that sense she saw herself as a "Countess" of the merchant and slave trade, thus showed just how highly she thought of herself.

"Ah, yes. That reminds me, just how is Leol Furt Rymune these days?~" She said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Yes! He sends his regards, and his business still remains as successful as ever."

"Oh? Is that so? I heard that some of his people were killed. I hoped that would have some kind of effect on him, but alas.~" She comment with obvious disappointment in her voice.

She then waved off the kneeling man, and her attention went back to the young girl to her left. She stood up and faced the girl with a perverse grin decorating her face as she licked her lips and caressed the girl's left cheek with her right hand. This action elicited the first signs of life from the girl, as she slightly shivered, with a gleam of revulsion in her eyes.

"If that'll be all, then you lot can leave. I'd like some privacy now.~" She said as she finished her wine with one large, single gulp.

The 5 men in the room all silently obeyed, carefully concealing looks of disgust as they did, and as they looked back they saw the girl gaze upon them with a pleading look on her face as they closed the chamber door. The group of men walked down the hall for a good distance before one of them speaks up with utter contempt in his voice.

"Keh! Maybe we're not ones ta' talk, but it's sick what that she-bastard does with those girls."

"Oi, keep your voice down. Don' wanna end up like tha' last guard who spoke badly 'bout her." Another said in hushed, worried tones.

"Yeah, I know. It's horrible what happened to her. But ain't that a reason ta' do somethin'?"

"No. She may not be a real countess no more, but she still got a lot of power from when she was. We jus' gotta wait until that Leol makes a move, whenever it happens."

"Damn it"

They all gritted their teeth as the group of men walked down a corridor, with the same thought entering their minds. That being a wish that someone would intervene where they seemingly can't...

* * *

 **Silver Sparrow Inn, RM-28**

As Miera finished drying and dressing, she had to admit that she found herself to be more relaxed and refreshed than she had been in a long time. She chuckled at herself for taking a nap in the bath as all her accrued stress had eased away and let her drift off. She had never done that in her 124 years of life, and if she had to be honest, it was a wonderful feeling. One she hoped to repeat, but those thoughts had suddenly left her as she reached for the washroom door.

Her current reality suddenly drew her back from her idle fantasies, and her heart was beating mightily in her chest as she opened the door as slowly and quietly as possible. Miera stuck her head out and saw her savior and owner sitting on top of the footlocker at the end of the bed with his back to her. She tilted her head slightly in wonder as the sight, her thoughts drifting as a result.

 _'Is he... meditating? It's so strange to see a human doing that. Mother always spoke of humans as incapable of such a thing. Yet this man is doing so...'_

While lost in her thoughts, Miera's curiosity overwhelmed her as she found that she had quietly stepped over to his side, and saw that he was indeed meditating. His form was motionless, and was the absolute picture of calmness and serenity. Meira could not help but be captivated by such a sight, and before she knew what she was doing, her hand was reaching out to touch him when he suddenly exhaled.

"Eek!"

Startled by his sudden movement, and the realization at her own actions, the elf-girl exclaimed in what could have been mistaken as the squeek of a mouse. She grasped her hands in her chest as she looked upon "Ishmael" with a reddened face.

 _'Aah! What was I doing?! This is just confusing. He's a human! I should hate him, but I can't do it. I want to know more about him instead. I don't understand this...'_

Her inner turmoil was interrupted as "Ishmael" started breathing normally and slowly opened his eyes. As his gaze regained more awareness to them, his head turned to her direction, and once again she was greeted by a firm, but warm countenance as he smiled to her, and spoke in a soft tone.

"Oh, hello there Miera. Through with the washroom I take it?"

"Eh? O-Oh, yes I am. B-But I'm sorry. I think I used up the hot water." Miera said as she hung her head low in embarrassment.

She then closed her eyes, half expecting to be rebuked for her actions, but once again, her expectations did not match her "owner's" response...

"Haha. Do not worry yourself. I can wash up in the morning. In the meantime I can use a scroll with the [Clean] spell to take care of things."

"O-Oh? Are you a magic caster then? I-I got the feeling you were more of a warrior." She shyly asked.

"Ah, not entirely. Let's just say that I can use magic items thanks to a talent of mine." Gabriel replied with a light smile as he thought to himself.

 _'Thanks to the information Walter and Tamura obtained, my being able to use magic items like scrolls and wands can be explained away by my having a [Talent]. Makes for a rather convincing cover story...'_

Just then, Gabriel paused in thought for a moment as he looked upon Miera's still damp and unkempt hair. He then smiles softly before speaking up again.

"Miera, grab that chair and bring it over to the bed, with it facing out. Afterward, please sit down in it."

"Eh? Um, o-okay." Miera timidly replied as she followed her instructions.

Upon sitting down in the chair, she waited motionless for a moment, when she sensed Gabriel sit on the bed's edge behind her. She further tensed when she felt Gabriel's hands on her hair, but was dumbfounded when she suddenly felt the taletell signs of a comb going through it. Out of reflex she turned around from the surprise, and saw his face with a gentle smile, and spoke in reply to the question in her eyes.

"I am simply helping you with your hair. It's a considerable mane after all, and I do not mind doing it for you."

"O-Oh! I... but... Thank you." Miera said as she turned her head away, accepting the offer as she felt her face redden, and her chest pounding.

Gabriel noticed the display, and smirked in amusement as he then proceeded to groom her hair with firm, steady, and gentle movements. Although Miera was nervous, she found it oddly relaxing, and slowly loosened up as Gabriel had continued combing her hair. This confounded Miera, as she became impressed by his skill in hair grooming. She meekly spoke as her curiosity swelled within her.

"U-Um, Ishmael? P-Please take no offense, but I was wondering... h-how do you know to groom hair so well?"

"Oh? Hehe. It shouldn't be surprising. While my hair isn't as long as yours, my mother taught me a great deal. In fact, my mother, godmother, and my late wife all groomed my hair at one point or another. Much like how I am doing for you."

"O-Oh. I-I see..."

Miera found herself strangely put at ease by his words, with him referencing his family. She also grew a bit ashamed at the mention of a, "late wife". By elf standards she was just a young woman, but even she could detect the subtle saddened tone in his voice at the mention. She thus remained silent as she relaxed at the sensation of her hair being groomed, by this human man that continued to set her at ease.

 _'This feeling... He reminds me so much of my father. He used to do my hair like this when I was a little girl... Father. Mother.'_

Miera clenched her eyes tightly as memories unbidden came flooding back into her mind. The memories of her childhood with her mother and father. It was a happy one, until they had to leave her during the elven equivalent of her teenage years, to fight their continuing war with the Slane Theocracy. Her mother would occasionally come back, but her father never did. That was when nothing but hate came from her mother.

Then other memories came flooding in. The memories of her mother's hate filled talk of humans, then the abuse she endured at the hands of human slavers. Images, sounds, and sensations whirled like a tornado in her mind as she remembered her humiliation and her violation, which always accompanied mocking cackles. Then the tears that she had been holding back all the while formed as words whispered from her lips...

"... Why?"

Gabriel halted his movements as he heard her barely audible mumble. He could sense the shift in her emotions all the while, but knew that probing deeply into it would not be helpful to her.

 _'I was wondering how long this would take. Her outer shell is starting to break down. Now comes the hard part: gently pushing her into releasing her pent up feelings...'_

As Gabriel's thoughts fade, he places the comb and brush on the nearby nightstand, and then gently places his left hand on her shoulder. The intended affect was nearly immediate, as Miera shot up from her seat, swiping away his hand, and throwing the chair to the side as a result. She sharply turned around and faced Gabriel with eyes full of tears, gritted teeth, and fists clenched as she yelled in a voice filled with anguish.

"Why?! Why are you being so kind?! Why are you so different?! Humans are evil! They are monsters! Humans have taken so much from my people! From me! My family! My home! My... My..."

Miera could no longer hold her tears back as they flooded her eyes and streamed down her cheeks like twin waterfalls,while her chest and face built up a hot burning sensation as all her bottled up emotions were released all at once. She fell to her knees, sobbing as quietly as she could to maintain what little dignity she felt she had left. In that brief moment she forgot Gabriel was even there, right up until she felt his arms around her.

Without making as much as a sound Gabriel was on his knees with her, wrapping his arms around her in a firm yet gentle embrace. Meira's eyes widened as she could feel his warmth meld into hers. Her hands were on his chest and she could feel power in his bosom as she weakly tried to push him away. Life drained from her eyes as she felt herself relax, and was again confounded by this as she spoke in a saddened tone.

"Why are you doing this to me? Please, just let me go..."

Gabriel kept his left arm around her as he used his right hand to gently stroke and caress her hair. He could feel more tension leave her as he did this, and he then spoke in a soft, gentle tone.

"If that is your wish, I will do so. But before that, all I ask is that you hear me out. Can you find it within yourself to listen?"

A brief gasp came from Miera, that was then followed by a long pause, and a gentle nod of acknowledgement as she buried her face onto Gabriel's left shoulder.

"I won't dispute what you said. Humans can be monsters. They can be petty, vapid, and greedy little things that destroy all that's around them without thought or care for their actions. But that's only one part of the picture. Like any other sentient race, they can also can show great acts of kindness and selflessness. I've seen a woman duck in front of danger to save someone she had never met, a starving man give a child what little he had to help that child survive into the next day, and even my own parents had sacrificed themselves, so that I might survive our home that burned and collapsed around us..."

Gabriel paused as he let his words sink in. As it did, Miera's eyes widened in shock. Like she had received an epiphany, and then her memories drifted back to those young girls whom helped her when she was first captured. They showed her kindness too, and had given her extra food and water, even if it meant displeasing their, "mistress". Especially if it meant displeasing her. Memories that were all but buried underneath her anguish.

Her thoughts were interrupted as Gabriel continued to speak in a gentle tone.

"Miera, I saved you because it was the right thing to do. I am kind to you because you deserve no less. The only thing I desire is to help you, and to aid you in what will be a difficult time. It will not be easy, but I can see it in your eyes. You still have your 'light', and your will. You showed as much before. If you wish, you can leave my side. As far as I am concerned, you are free to do as you please. However, it doesn't mean that you have to go it alone. I'm here for you, if you will have me."

Miera could not helped but be filled with a swell of shock and emotions as she lifted up her head and looked into Gabriel's emerald colored eyes. Within them she saw nothing but sincerity, compassion, and empathy for her. But then something else happened, as Gabriel's image overlayed with that of her father's in her mind's eye, and all at once she realized that Gabriel reminded her of her long deceased father.

 _'Gods, you're just like him. Father was kind, patient, and gentle... I... I...'_

With memories of her father hitting her all at once, she threw her arms around Gabriel and embraced him tightly as she wailed in her now fully emotions. Gabriel simply held her as she poured her heart out and cried with all her might into his chest. He would continue to gently caress her hair as she did, and held her firmly and gently as he softly spoke in a matching tone.

"It's alright now. Let it all out. You don't have to hold it back anymore. It will be alright. That's a promise."

Though Miera poured out her anguish, she could not help but believe his words, and other emotions filled her: hope and joy.

 **-30 minutes later-**

Gabriel was princess-carrying Miera over to the bed and gently laid her unconscious form on the soft surface. She was all but exhausted from her ordeal, and after Gabriel had softly cleaned her beautiful sleeping face he moved the covers over her, and gently kissed her forehead. Even in her sleep she smiled, and as if in response, she then quietly mumbled...

"Father..."

Gabriel could only gently smile and shake his head at how the elf-girl "imprinted" on him, but he also felt pleased, as she showed the signs of recovery that he had hoped she would. As he placed the fallen chair next to the bed and sat down, he watched over her as a guardian against anything else that may befall her. As he did this he sank into thought...

 _'She seems to be over the biggest hurdle now. She won't be the same as she was, but she will recover. Still, something bothers me. Miera reacted to me faster than expected, and seemed to connect to my presence equally as fast. Elf or not, something seems off...'_

As he pondered the matter, he folded his arms and continued to watch over Miera, and kept his heightened senses trained on her and the environment. Then his eyes lit up for a split second as he seemed to reach an epiphany.

 _'Could it be? It's most likely the reason, since everything else had become real due to the transfer. My racial traits as a human [Methuselah] would have as well. If memory serves, the flavor text read something to the effect of, "A [Methuselah] shall act as a guide to humanity, and shall exude an aura of benevolence to those he deems worthy, and fear to those he deems wanting". In the game that translated into simple buffs and debuffs towards other Players and NPCs. Something that was enhanced by the few commander classes I had added to my job classes. Here in this new world, it might be more literal now. And the way that she had equated me to her father... That was really unexpected. Something to look into later...'_

With that final thought, Gabriel stayed by Miera's side as he allowed himself to relax ever so slightly as he kept watch on her.

* * *

 **City of Kesavine, High-Class District, Office of Leol Furt Rymune**

It was late into the evening as a star-filled, cloudless sky was draped over the city like a warm blanket as the people turned in for the night. However, one man disregarded this as he continued to work, even when the city around him slumbered. Leol sat at his desk with four stacked piles of five gold coins in front of him as he held one of them up to his left eye, closely examining it with an [Enchanted Monocle].

It was an item that could be used to either see things in the distance, or examine an object closely as he was. While doing so there was a light knock on his office door.

"Enter." He said without even taking his attention away from the coin.

Once bidden, one of the double doors to his office opened, and then a beautiful blonde woman walked in. She had her hair done up in a single braid that went down the middle of her back, with a bang of hair draped over her left temple. Her skin was bright vanilla, smooth and flawless as she sported a stern countenance with high, strong cheekbones, pink sensuous lips, and willful gray eyes that looked as if they had a fire within.

She wore a maid's uniform that perfectly clung to and outlined her strong, feminine body that seemed to invite male attention as she proudly sported her firm and very considerable bust that could be described as a large C-cup. As she walked towards the desk her high heels made almost no sound as she walked forward with measured, yet powerful steps. Leol knew who it was as he spoke with a neutral tone, and remained focused on the coin in hand.

"I seem to recall granting you the day off, Lucille."

"You did master, and I am grateful for that. However, I would not feel at ease knowing you were protected only by normal guards." Lucille replied with an apologetic and concerned tone as she took a graceful bow.

"Hehe. I am thankful for you Lucille. I admire such due diligence. You are the perfect model from which the other servants could learn." Leol said in a proud tone, which elicited a small blush as Lucille slightly bowed her head.

"You are too kind, master."

"Ah, you are welcome... Well, since you are here, do take a look as this." Leol says as he leans back in his chair, places his magic item in his chest pocket.

He flicks the gold coin to Lucille, whom swiftly catches it and looks at it with a confused head-tilt. She inspects it for a few moments before looking back to Leol questioningly.

"Well, Lucille? What do you think?"

"Um, my apologies, master. To me it seems an ordinary gold coin." She replied in a saddened tone.

As she handed the coin back to her "master", he had an amused, almost pleased smile across his lips. This confused Lucille momentarily before Leol then chuckled and spoke in a casual tone of voice.

"Heheha. It's fine Lucille. You have nothing to be ashamed of, since this is not your area of expertise. In fact, even I would have missed this if I did not think to look deeper. This coin is among those used in the purchase of that elf-girl earlier today. I grew curious so I had most of the coins delivered to me immediately, and discovered that this coin is most likely a fake. A very well crafted fake."

Lucille's eyes widened at the revelation, and quickly picked up another coin as she gave it a piercing, scrutinizing gaze. Leol smiled as she did and began speaking as a teacher would to their student.

"As you may have noticed, that coin has markings from a time before the rise of Jircniv, the 'Bloody Emperor'. While such coins are still in circulation, they are far fewer than the newer coins we use today. Furthermore, all the coins used were old style, which is highly improbable. All coin purses should have a mix of the old and new styles, given the passage of time."

Lucille lifted her head up to give Leol a questioning gaze. As if reading her expression, Leol smiled and continued his explanation, holding up a coin from the desk with his right hand, and a coin he removed from his desk drawer with his left.

"Yes, of course, that alone is not enough to make any definitive conclusions. Which is why I had spent the last few hours examining each of these coins. During the forging process, each coin will have its own unique flaw, but these are all perfectly uniform in there design. What's more, is the condition. They may seem well worn, but compared to this one, they look much newer. These coins are well made. Too well made..."

He then hands the coin in his left hand to Lucille so she could compare them. Although she did not have an eye for business and money like her employer, she did have an eye for detail. When she compared the two coins, she could clearly tell that there was a disparity in quality to the coin that Leol had given her, and the the one from his desk. She then spoke in a low, neutral tone.

"What about the gold, master? Is it fake too?"

"That's the most interesting part, my dear. After scratching off a few of the coins, they seemed to be made of real gold. However, to be certain I sent some of them to my personal alchemist. I am still waiting on his report..."

Just then, Lucille's head perked up and her eyes had a glint of recognition as she interrupted Leol.

"Ah, yes! My apologies, but I had met Alchemist Edwaldo on my way here, and he asked me to deliver this missive to you in his stead."

Lucille then pulled out a wax sealed envelope from her maid's apron, and bowed as she presented it to Leol. She appeared nervous and embarrassed as she looked up with her eyes and saw that Leol had an amused smirk as he received it. This was enough to set her mind at ease as she straightened her posture, and watched as Leol then stamped the seal with his ring. A blue light then enveloped both the seal and the ring, as the wax then dissolved into dust.

This was a protective ward that was placed on important missives, and could only be removed by a certain "key" that matched the seal. In this case, it was the family crest on Leol's ring. Those who tried to open the contents by force would be greeted by a fire spell that would burn their hands, and reduce the missive itself to ash. As the spell wore off, Leol pulled out a letter, with the contents gaining his full attention. After a moment a smile had decorated his face as he chuckled and spoke in amusement.

"How interesting..."

"Master? Is something the matter? What did the missive say?"

"Hmm... Well, according to Edwaldo, these coins are made from very dense, very pure gold. Much more so than the typical gold coin of the Empire. He he he. Very interesting forgery indeed. This Ishmael is proving to be quite the fascinating enigma. I am eager to see what else he does."

Lucille was stunned speechless by her master's words. Despite the implications of what they had just learned, he seemed happy. As if he were a child that had found something to play with. Just as she was about to inquire further, Leol spoke as he rose up from his desk, further stunning her with his next words...

"Lucille, tomorrow evening, have our forces ready to move in on 'Countess' Rivka's estate. Ensure that the Captain of the Imperial Guard in the city has been adequately compensated for looking the other way. Give him whatever he wishes. Coin. Free nights at our brothel. A slave of his choice. It matters not as long as he stays well away from Rivka's section of the district from the just before midday meal, until the evening."

"M-Master? Forgive me, but why the sudden change? Our spies have yet to report any significant change in her situation, and..." Lucille started to say before a raised hand from Leol silenced her.

"It is simple, my dear. My instincts tell me, that this 'Ishmael', is far more than he seems and Rivka will garner his attention. When that happens, she will be no more."

A look of understanding flashed across Lucille's face when Leol said, "My instincts". She had spent nearly her whole life as his servant cum assassin, and had long understood and trusted the instincts he had cultivated over his life. It was those same instincts that saved her as a child, when her narcotic addicted parents had sold her into slavery, just for their next fix. He saw potential in her when no one else did, and she would always follow his instincts. Given that, she simply bowed and replied...

"As you wish, master."

* * *

 **Silver Sparrow Inn, RM:28, The Following Early Morning**

Miera stirred as the rays of the early morning sun beamed down on her face through the white curtains of the nearby window. She turned over on her right in annoyance as she tried to get comfortable again. Miera was never an early morning person. A fact that had gotten her in trouble with her parents on more than one occasion.

While her mother would be aggressive in waking her, her father would be the patient and gentle type that would rouse her. With simply his presence, a voice here, a gentle brush of his hand there, and the constant and often playful application of this, she had some of the most peaceful mornings. It was these idle thoughts that slowly bid her eyes to open. She yawned deeply, like a bear that had come out of hibernation.

She then sat up and lazily looked around the room, seeing that she was alone. Still half asleep, she climbed out of the bed as she yawned again and rubbed her eyes, her face taking on an almost adorable quality as she did.

"Hmm... Need to wash my face..." She groggily stated as she continued to rub her eyes.

Miera got up from the bed and slowly walked to the closed door of the washroom, not taking a moment to question why it was closed due to her half-awake state. She turned the knob and walked in, and as her gaze moved forward, the sight she was greeted with froze her in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she gasped with her hands covering her mouth as she saw her savior "Ishmael", completely naked, not 4 ft. (121.9cm) from her.

He had a damp towel over his head, and judging by the steam it was clear that he had just finished bathing before she walked in. Of course, these details were lost on the elf as her sight focused on a physique that was, while exceedingly impressive and muscular, was also covered in numerous scars. Miera was overcome with shock, pity, and sadness as she gazed at his body, and tears formed in the edges of her eyes. She shuttered to think what he could have gone through to leave it in such a state.

Meanwhile, Gabriel looked upon her with a calm and relaxed expression that served to set her at ease, and show that he was not offended or agitated by her presence. In fact, he appeared to be completely indifferent. Gabriel was never one to be flustered over what he perceived as "simple things", and if he had to be honest, he could care less if he was seen naked, and continued to dry himself as if nothing was amiss.

 _'I guess I should have locked the door. Not that I mind, but these scars would most likely frighten her... Hm? Heh. Or not...'_

For a brief moment an amused smirk crossed Gabriel's lips as he looked over to Miera at the corner of his eye, and saw that she was not only perfectly fine, but seemed to be enraptured by physique. Her eyes unconsciously wandered all over his body, tracing the lines of his scars until her sight locked onto his lower portion between his legs. She then gawked as her eyes widened even further as her thoughts raced.

 _'Wow...so big... He's bigger than any other man I've seen. Even soft. What would it be like if he...'_

Miera's thoughts come to an abrupt end when she hears the calm, and slightly amused voice of her savior chime in.

"Miera, if you don't close your mouth, you're going to start drooling."

"Huh?... Eeek!"

The elf-girl quickly covers her face as it turns scarlett from the embarrassment at her thoughtless actions. Miera is so flustered that she doesn't even notice that "Ishmael" casually walked past her and into the room until she felt his presence was no longer in the washroom. Turning her head she hesitantly peers through her fingers and sees his backside, like the rest of him was a solid, and finely crafted physique of muscle that simply radiated with strength and power.

She quickly covered her eyes when she found herself staring at his muscular buttocks, and felt her heart racing in her chest. She turn her back and thought to herself as she tried to calm down.

 _'Aaaah! This is too much for my heart! He's so... Beautiful. Eh? Beautiful? Where did that come from? I'm so confused!'_

Shaking her head, Miera slowly, albeit hesitantly turns her head to look upon "Ishmael" again, and finds him to be wearing loose fitting pants and a sleeveless shirt. A relieved sigh escapes her lips, but at the same time an expression of disappointment flashes across her face. She found herself reflecting on her own aesthetic tastes, but before she could think on it at any meaningful length, "Ishmael's" warm, calming voice cuts in.

"I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable, Miera."

"Eh? Oh! No, no. I-It's fine. It was my fault for not checking first before walking in on you." She said in a flustered and apologetic manner, as she then speaks up again in a shy tone.

"Um, still, aren't you even a little embarrassed that I saw you?"

Gabriel looks over in a relaxed and unfazed manner as he answers in a calm and smooth tone.

"My dear, I've seen much and experienced much. I get embarrassed about very little these days. I could walk out into public naked right now and it wouldn't bother me. My only real concern was whether or not these scars would scare you."

"... Huh? Eh? Um, is that so? Hehehe." Miera replies in a nervous chuckle.

Still blushing over the events she looks over and sees him combing his hair. While not as long as hers, was still long enough to reach down to the middle of his back. Reflecting on the previous day, a thought occurred to her as she spoke up, again in a shy tone.

"Um, if you like Ishmael, allow me to do your hair for you."

"Hm? Are you certain?" Gabriel replied as he looked at her in a questioning manner.

"Y-Yes. Please. You've done so much for me, it's the least I could do." Miera says as she motions towards the same nearby chair as the day prior.

Gabriel has a gentle smile on his face as he simply nods in the affirmative, hands her the comb and brush, and quietly sits down. Miera was amazed at how silent and graceful his movements were. There was never a wasted, unnecessary action, and every time he moved it was like watching moving water. Every action flowing into the next.

She gently shook her head to banish such thoughts as she moved to sit on the bed behind the chair, and started to groom his hair. Although she had never done such a thing for someone else, she had to admit that she found it oddly relaxing to do so. As she did, a thought occurred to her, and now feeling more comfortable around "Ishmael" due to the previous day's events, she felt she could voice her curiosity.

"Um, Ishmael? If it's alright, may I ask how you got those scars?"

The sudden question didn't surprise him. In fact, Gabriel had expected it since most people would grow curious upon seeing them. The only thing that did surprise him was how forward she had become. However, that was not the most important issue that took prevalence in his mind...

 _'How much do I tell her? Hmm... Well, considering that the Drake Rider country is so isolationist, most people never knew what had happened there. Maybe sharing the bare minimum details should suffice for now..._

"Well, to make a long story short, I got these scars after I fought a monster to free some captive and enslaved people. She... took a disturbing liking to me, and wanted me to become her unwilling 'consort'. This monster used a magic spell to torture me into submission. Or so she thought..."

Miera shuttered at the brief explanation given. The scars looked like numerous cuts and slashes had covered over 80% of his body, and only his groin area, buttocks, face, neck, hands, and feet were spared. She had worked to assist fellow elves whom had returned from the front lines, and recognized the signs of cuts, but only now did it occur to her.

Still, something about the scars was confusing, and she unconsciously reached out and touched his bare left arm, examining the scars. His skin felt warm to the touch, and his muscles were solid underneath. Never had she seen such a finely honed physique, and the thought of blades cutting into him made her heart grow heavy, and it swelled with sorrow. She then looked up at her savior as she hesitantly asked her next question.

"W-What happened? W-What did you do to such a cruel creature?" She said with a tinge of anger in her voice.

Miera grew confused when "Ishmael" simply chuckled before he then spoke with an amused tone.

"Simply put? I lit us both on fire."

All at once, Miera gasped as her eyes widened to the size of saucers, and then she understood why the scars had looked strange to her. They were burned closed! This revelation rattled her to her core, as tears formed in the edges of her eyes. She leaned forward so that her forehead was resting on his back as she spoke in a forlorn tone.

"Stupid... Reckless... You could have... You could have..."

The thought of her savior dying was unbearable to her as her voice cracked, but then her savior "Ishmael" had turned around. Placing a hand on top of her head, he smiled warmly and spoke softly as he then used that hand to wipe her tears away.

"I know. It was reckless. However, there are times where a battle cannot be won, and people cannot be saved without _some_ kind of recklessness. There's no such thing as a 'safe' fight to the death. Only higher or lower levels of risk. That's most especially true when fighting for the sake of others."

For a moment, Miera had an expression of confusion, which shifted into understanding as she realized that he was right. A smile and nod came from her, as well as a blush as she spoke shyly...

"Just try not to overdo it, okay?~"

Gabriel smiled once more before turning back around to allow Miera to finish grooming his hair. After this a comfortable silence settled between them as she slowly completed her task. After she had finished, Gabriel turned his chair and sat in front of her with the same warm smile that he had used to constantly put her at ease as he gently spoke.

"Thank you, Miera. I appreciated that."

"I-It's no problem. Truly. I... I wish I could do more to thank you." Miera says shyly.

Gabriel then reaches out and pats her head, which elicits a scarlet red blush from her as she looks into his emerald eyes.

"Well, there are two things that you can do to do that."

"Eh? Um... W-What would those be, Ishmael?" She hesitantly asks with her hands in her lap as she slightly fidgets and moves in her seat.

Gabriel chuckles warmly at this as he speaks.

"First, actually say the words, 'thank you'."

Miera's eyes widened at the realization. It was true. After all he had done for her, she had yet to actually utter the phrase. She grew both embarrassed and ashamed as she came to this conclusion, but the kind warmth of her savior was enough to put her at ease as she spoke whilst holding back the tears she felt...

"Ishmael, I... thank you... Thank you for saving me. Thank you helping me."

To this, she received a gentle smile and head rub as he replied.

"You are very welcome, Miera."

A warm, relaxed feeling spread throughout her chest as she gazed upon him, and once again was reminded of her late father. Her body moved before her mind could register her actions, and she threw herself into his arms, embracing him with all her strength as she sat in his lap as a daughter would her father. Gabriel did not resist, but had instead accepted it as he wrapped his powerful arms around her and gently stroked her hair.

"The second thing you can do, is to pay this forward."

She then lifted up her head and looked into his eyes with her confusion well apparent.

"Pay it forward?"

"Yes. Use the chance you have been given to help others, as you have been helped. Just as negative acts can have a continued cycle, so too can positive ones. Those who have been helped and rescued can do the same for others, and they in turn can do the same for more. In other words, don't waste the chance you have been given, and pay this act forward."

Miera settled into silence as she contemplated his words and laid her head down on the warmth of his chest.

 _'This man... He went to such extremes to save people... Maybe... Could he save those girls from that place? If there's a chance... Would he be willing to go against fellow humans? He's so unlike the others. He even sees the faults of his own kind... I must try to, "pay it forward", as he has said...'_

In that moment, determination swelled within Miera as she looked up at her savior in the eyes and spoke in an unwavering voice.

"In that case... In order to, 'pay this forward', would you be willing to help me?"

"Oh? I see you took my words to heart. Alright. I'm listening." Gabriel replied with a raised eyebrow and a proud smile at her initiative.

"Well, you see, when I was captured, I was taken to a 'holding area' run by slavers who work with others in this city. They don't sell the slaves, but hold them for those who do and distribute them for those that do. We all were kept in separate cells. Sometimes, they would 'have fun' with those captured..."

As Miera's voice paused in hesitation, she felt her savior's arms tighten slightly around her. She raised his eyes to meet "Ishmael's" once again, and had a firm and powerful look in his eyes. Warmth filled her being as her discomfort soon faded, like a gentle nudge was pushing away all her fear and discomfort. Though she did not understand it, a gentle nod from him beckoned her to continue her story, and she complied.

"... But this is not where I was 'touched'. You see, there were these young girls who acted as 'servants' throughout the manor. These young girls took pity on me. They even brought me extra food and water when most of us were being fed only once or twice a day. They... treated me nicely. Even going as far as helping me wash and clean me when the chances was so few. Their very presence seemed to discourage the guards from having any 'fun' with me back then..."

Gabriel listened intently, and as he did he could already guess where this story was going, but remained silent so as to let Miera do all the talking.

"On a few nights, I heard the guards talking. They thought I was asleep, or too far away to be heard, but I heard them quite clearly..." Miera said as her ears twitched and wiggled.

"They spoke of the girls that helped and visited me. I always saw looks of pity, concern, but also respect in their eyes when those girls were with me. That night, they spoke of how they helped me at the cost of displeasing their mistress, and how proud they were of them for it. It seemed that a human woman by the name of 'Countess Rivka Aie Rile Jellico' was the one in charge, and from what they said, she's... a horrible person."

"How so?"

Gabriel asked in a low but powerful voice as he narrowed his vision. The sudden shift in his mood and disposition startled Miera for a moment, but swallowed as she complied and began to elaborate...

"F-From what I heard from the guards, she used to be a noble, but settled into the slave business. She is very full of herself, but holds a lot of power. Officially, she keeps a lot of young girls as her personal servants, but most of the guards know the truth. She keeps them as her 'toys', that she uses for her entertainment, and her pleasure. The guards are disgusted and hate her, but can't do anything about her. There was one female guard that spurned her advances and even spoke badly about her openly, but she... didn't end well..."

Miera went silent at that, not wanting to elaborate further. An uncomfortable silence settled between them as Gabriel held her in his arms, but that was not what caught her attention. As she lifted her head up once again, what she saw frightened her for a moment. She well knew looks of anger, wrath, disgust, and hatred from her times with her mother, but what she saw from his eyes far outclassed that.

It was as if she stared directly into the eyes of death itself before her savior closed them and them breathed in deeply. In that moment all tension and anger seemed to leave his body, and when he open his eyes open, they seemed calm, but still contained a quiet fury within his gaze as he spoke in a neutral tone.

"Miera, I think I understand now. You wish that these girls be saved, and that this woman be punished. Correct?"

"I... Um... That is..."

Miera was hesitant to answer at first. The brief moment seeing that wrathful expression in her savior's eyes frightened her. Still, she also knew that they weren't directed at her gave her some solace, and still felt his warmth permeate her being as she felt as if she was being gently nudged to answer simply by his gaze alone as she opened her mouth to speak...

"Yes. Please. Rescue those poor girls."

"Very well. I will. But first, tell me, do you know how to find this place that they took you?"

"I... Yes! I can tell you precisely how. They didn't seem to care if we could see the outside world through the bars of the carriages they moved us in." She answered with a tinge of excisement in her voice.

"Good. Now then, please tell me how to find this place, and anything else that you can."

* * *

 ***A/N: Hey there! I am VERY sorry that this took me so long to get out the door. I've been dealing with a lot of IRL issues in both work and my personal life, so that delayed things. This chapter WAS going to be longer, but I ended up cutting it off here since a LOT of you have been waiting ever so patiently for a chapter, but don't worry. Next chapter WILL end this particular mini-arc. Also, a couple of this to announce. First, the results of the poll to decide the name of that lvl-45 YGGDRASIL ore are in, and from now on it shall be named, "Titanite". I wish to thank everyone who has taken part in it, and hope that everyone is able to accept the results. Second, for anime fans like me who may be familiar with an anime by the name of, "Fist of the North Star", I HIGHLY recommend a fanfic called, "Hokuto no Ladies". It is by a fanfic author that goes by the handle "Kumo no Juuza". He's done great work with Overlord fanfics in the past, so please give his latest work a shot. I'm certainly hooked myself! ^_^***


	13. Chapter 13-A Debt to Karma

**Chapter 13-A Debt to Karma**

 **City of Kesavine, High-Class District**

A dry wind blew through the air as dusk's light gave the surrounding areas an orange colored hue. A 3-floor manor with high walls seemed an imposing centerpiece in this portion of the district known for the wealthy and powerful. In a nearby alleyway bathed in shadow, stood a hooded man with piercing emerald eyes that stared down the manor with scrutiny and contempt, as he leaned against a wall with arms folded.

As he slightly lifted up his head, enough of his hood opened to reveal the face of Gabriel Erin Dracon, and had arrived at the place that the elf-girl Miera had described in detail. The place where she had been taken upon first arriving in Kesavine, and the place where she had described young girls being used for "entertainment", and "pleasure" by the mistress in charge. A former noble by the name of, "Countess" Rivka Aie Rile Jellico.

As Gabriel looked upon the structure, his fiery gaze softened as he then closed his eyes with a sigh, and quietly spoke to himself.

"What the hell am I doing?"

Using his left hand he rubbed his eyes as he sank into thought...

 _'This is far and away from the "low-profile" I had hoped for... Again. I had not intended to get involved any further than helping Miera, but things changed the very moment she told me of those children, and her earnest plea to help them resonated so much... Damn it..."_

Gabriel took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled as he reflected on his current situation...

 _'No point lamenting now. I've made my choice. Now I'll see it through. Tamura should be getting back to...'_

*BEEP*BEEP*

The telltale signs of the use of the [Message] spell chimed in Gabriel's head as he replied by lifting up and placing his left hand on his temple. He focused his thoughts as he then wordlessly responded...

 _[Tamura? Is everything in place?]_

 _[Yes, my lord.~ As per your orders, I have blanketed the surrounding areas with illusion spells, and given the lower levels of this world's inhabitants, there should be no chance of a breach. I also took the liberty of dispelling some unfamiliar arcane tier magicks around the compound that I concluded were for added security.]_

 _[Very good, Tamura. Still, keep an eye out. The unexpected can happen at any time.]_

 _[Understood, my lord! In fact, one such unexpected event has already taken place.]_

 _[Explain.]_

 _[My Shadow Demons report that the city guard of this district of the city, have inexplicably pulled out and have been deliberately keeping their distance. After investigating, they had discovered that they were ordered to by the captain of the guard. The reason for which is still unknown...]_

Gabriel paused for a moment as he took in the new information. This was hardly a coincidence. Indeed, it was far too convenient. He was thankful he had ordered Tamura to have her Shadow Demon summons to conduct reconnaissance before he started his own movements. It gave him a clearer picture of things.

From what Miera told him, the "Countess" was not particularly well liked. Not by her own guards certainly, but in Gabriel's mind it also stood to reason that she would have some "business rivals" that cared even less for her. Still, he knew that the timing was simply too close to ignore as he gave out his next orders.

 _[Tamura, have your Shadow Demon summons continue to monitor the surrounding areas for any activity. Also, summon a few more to follow me into the compound to do the same, as well as to secure those subdued, and to capture and secure those that try to flee the compound.]_

 _[By your command, my lord.]_

 _[Also, I trust that Miera continues to be safe and sound?]_

 _[Oh, of course my Lord Gabriel. As we speak, she is being watched over by my summons, and the sleeping spell placed on her is still in full effect.]_

 _[Thank you, Tamura. Continue to monitor that situation as well.]_

 _[Of course, my lord. None under your protection shall come to harm as long as I draw breath!]_ Tamura passionately stated on the other end of the [Message] link, eliciting a pleased smile from Gabriel.

Before he had set out to this location, he slipped her a sleeping potion in her drink as they ate breakfast together. Afterward, he had contacted Tamura to carry out his orders of area reconnaissance and protection for Miera while he was away. He knew full well that little to nothing would harm her with Tamura's summons watching over her, and so he set out to fulfill Miera's request, and perhaps fulfill an objective or two of his own.

 _[Alright then. I'm going in.]_

 _[Good hunting, my lord!~]_

With that, the [Message] link terminated, and Gabriel set out on his objective. In a burst of speed too fast for normal human eyes to follow, he vanished in a blur that erupted enormous gusts of air throughout the alley. Some distance away, behind the walls of the compound, two guards were casually patrolling the inside. This was mostly to avoid attracting unnecessary attention, and to prevent escapes, as well as intrusion.

However, that did not matter in the face of someone with Gabriel's level, and years of experience in sneaking around in places he did not belong. He did it for years in his former life, for both personal and professional reasons. He silently dropped behind the guards, and with a light tap to the back of their heads, he rendered them unconscious.

As Gabriel then continued deeper inside the walls, two Shadow Demons emerged from his own shadow, enveloped the unconscious guards, and then vanished in the blink of an eye. Never once turning to look back, Gabriel's superior senses had picked up on more guards within the same area, and just as they turned the corner, he dispatched them the same way.

This process continued for only one minute as Gabriel systematically cleared the outside areas of guards. Once that was completed, he then moved on to one of the few side entrances of the main manor, and the only one that did not have guards on the inside. Gabriel surmised that this was probably due to the heavy concentration of guards on the outside, and that there were magical wards present until Tamura dispelled them.

All this time Gabriel had his brown hood up, and even when he quietly stepped into the darkened hallway of the inside, he kept it up as he then sank into thought as he careful continued forward...

 _'Breaking into this place was relatively easy for someone like me. But given what we have learned of this world's average levels, it would have been challenging for a "normal" team, let alone an "elite" of this new world. Guard patrols with overlapping routes to cover each other and the entrances at constant intervals, magical wards placed at every access and non-access points, and reinforced steel doors and frames camouflaged to look like they are ordinary wooden doors. This security net was well designed, but...'_

His thoughts came to an abrupt end when he sensed two approaching guards from the opposite direction. Acting quickly, Gabriel jumped up and seemingly vanished into the shadows of the tall, darkened ceiling that framed a nearby set of stairs. Less than a few seconds later, the guards rounded the corner as they quietly carried on a conversation amongst themselves...

"Oi, what're those lazy bastards outside doin'? They missed two check-ins already."

"Meh."

"Huh? What in gods' names is tha' supposed ta' mean?"

"Well... it's just..."

Any further conversation was halted when suddenly Gabriel dropped down on them from behind, and in a single swift motion rendered them unconscious, and grabbed their limp bodies to ensure no further sounds would be made by them falling onto the floor. Once again, Shadow Demons emerged from his own shadow as they carried the unconscious men away, and he continued this a dozen throughout the manor.

As he did, a [Message] chimed in from Tamura inside his head.

 _[My lord, my shadows have done some scouting of the manor's interior. The holding cells are devoid of any slaves, but they found the area that holds the girls spoken of by the elf-girl Miera. Your position is relatively close to them, and should be coming upon it soon.]_

 _[Excellent. Thank you, Tamura.]_

 _[My lord, if I may ask, why did you insist on performing this task yourself? Your faithful servants would have been more than happy to carry this action out for you.]_

 _[Because Tamura, these actions are beyond the scope of my original plans. Therefore, we must do what we can to minimize the impact our presence will leave. Doing this myself aids in that goal. Also, this was a request I took on personally, and unless more help is needed, I will continue to handle it myself. I do have experience with this sort of thing.]_

 _[Ah, I see.~ As expected of our Lord Gabriel. Then I will continue to monitor the situation and provide whatever support is necessary.]_

 _[I appreciate it, Tamura. I'll call if I need anything.]_

With that final reply, Gabriel disconnected the [Message] link with his [Ring of Message], and quietly and discreetly continued on, until he reached his destination. He found a reinforced door disguised to look ordinary, much like the one he had encountered on the outside. Knowing it was locked, he reached into the pocket dimension of his [Inventory], and pulled out a slightly glowing silver colored, key shaped item.

This was a YGGDRASIL item called the [Thief's Key], which allowed non-thief classes the ability to unlock low to mid-class locks and enchantments up to lvl-45. Though it had a limited use charge per day, it was quite handy to have on occasions. The reason why he didn't have something higher leveled was once again due to the information of this new world that was gathered, and ensured he had more suitable items ready for use.

As he pressed the face of the key onto the keyhole, it morphed to change it's shape, which then allowed Gabriel to slide the key in as if it was made for it. Unlocking the door with the item successfully, he stored it back into his inventory, and lowered his hood. He did this so that he would appear less threatening to the children inside, as he then slowly opened the door.

Gabriel froze in place as he took one step into a common living area for at least twelve girls whom slept in wood-framed bunk-beds. He did not freeze because of their living conditions, which were clean and quite sanitary. He did not freeze because they were malnourished. Indeed, they seemed to have been well fed and kept in good physical condition. The reason he froze was because of their ages, and their eyes.

His eyes narrowed as he saw that the girls ranged from 16 to barely 13 years old. That in of itself was enough to sicken and anger him, but when he saw their eyes, he was then practically seething with rage. Twelve pairs of eyes all looked at him with nearly the same expressions. Hollow, empty eyes that had lost nearly all signs of vitality and life, with fear and hopelessness intermingled within. He then understood why he came here.

Throughout his life, if there was one thing he NEVER could tolerate, it was cruelty and abuse of children. He never could stand it, and his ledger was dyed red with the blood of those from Earth whom had committed the same atrocity he had witnessed in front of him. How many children had he and his late-wife rescued that were in similar or worse shape than this? He could never keep count, because every time it assaulted him to his very core. He felt this wrath build in his chest as he looked upon them.

Now more than ever, he wanted to tear this place apart with his bare hands, and he knew that he could do it, and more. Still, he reigned himself in as he remembered the children before him. They all continued to look upon him with those same unchanging expressions. One could even mistake them for mannequins, if not for the telltale signs of shivering in trepidation and fear that every single one of them showed.

Gabriel realized that they were under the mistaken impression that he worked for their "mistress", and surmised that the normal route for them was one of the guards would come for them, before being delivered to the, "Countess". Before their fears could be allowed to swell any further, Gabriel stepped forward three steps, and then went down to one knee. This action seemingly surprising the young girls as their mannequin-like expressions fell away, and they all looked at each other in confusion. He then spoke in a soft, yet stern voice as he made eye contact...

"Don't be afraid. I'm not here to harm you, and I'm not here to take you to that woman. My name is Gabriel, and I'm here to rescue you from this place, once and for all."

For a moment their expressions froze in place as they tried to parse Gabriel's words. He could accurately guess what they were thinking from his prior experiences. They were wondering if he spoke true. That this was not some sick game to test them, or simply to play on their dwindling hopes, just to crush them again. Just as they had these thoughts one of their number hopped off her bed and walked forward.

It was their youngest, being barely 13 years old, and had brown mid-length hair, and had light-amber eyes that, after Gabriel's declaration of rescuing them, held more life in them than the rest. Still unsure, she held her arms close to her chest as she slowly approached Gabriel, and spoke in a timid voice...

"W-Will you r-really take u-us away from here?"

Gabriel smiled gently as he replied in an equally gentle tone.

"Yes, young lady. You have my oath. I will take you away from this place, and away from _her_ , to begin a new life."

As he said this, he offered his right to her with palm facing up. Gabriel's expression was soft, gentle, and sincere. Somehow, despite the young girl's age, picked on this, and felt her reluctance fall away as she slowly, but surely, reached out with her own right hand to take his. When she did, Gabriel softly wrapped his fingers around the girl's small hand and she had a look of awe and wonder as she looked directly at him.

"You're... so warm..." She said in a soft tone.

No other words were spoken as Gabriel continued to smile with the same warmth and sincerity. He let go of her hand, and as soon as he did her small frame nearly ran into his as she hugged him with all the strength the 13 year old girl could muster. She silently let tears leak from her clenched eyes, and her voice cracked as she weakly uttered only two words...

"T-Thank you..."

He returned her embrace as gently as he could, and heard her utter in a soft voice...

"You're very warm."

Gabriel then looked at the other young girls in the room and saw that their faces had varying degrees of shock, surprise, and disbelief on their faces as tears filled their own eyes, and for the first time the group was abuzz with life and quiet conversation.

"I-It's true... We can leave..."

"Gods... Thank you, good sir."

"Please... don't let this be a dream."

Before Gabriel knew it, the group of young girls followed the example of the youngest, and one by one embraced him in one large group-hug sobbing, either quietly or just outsight crying to their heart's content, feeling that they had just woken up from a long nightmare, and that Gabriel was the savior that they forgot that they had been waiting for. When they were all huddled together, he widened his arms to accept as many of them as he could before silently activating his [Ring of Message].

 _[Tamura, come to my location as soon as possible. And when you get here, do not refer to me as "lord", or "master". A simple "sir" will do for now.]_

 _[Understood. I have been monitoring the situation, my lord. I'll be there with all haste.]_

Deactivating the ring's powers, Gabriel closes his eyes, and focuses inward on his powers and his emotions. Focusing only on those he felt would help these young girls to be calm and be more receptive to him. Doing this activated one of the skills he had learned he possessed during his time training to level-up called, [Emerald Blessings]. Doing this had enveloped them all in an emerald colored flame-like aura. This did not cause the girls harm, but instead filled them with inner warmth, calm, and a sense of safety.

 _'This should help them recover and calm down a bit. I still need to "deal" with the bitch that's in charge here, but first these girls need to know that they are truly safe, and this is the quickest way to make that happen.'_

Just as his thoughts came to a close, his aura had dissipated, and as he opened his eyes he saw that the girls collectively looked calmer and much more at ease. He slowly eased his grip and stood up, garnering their attention as they too stood up and looked up him expectantly. He then spoke in an almost fatherly tone of voice.

"Young ladies, for the moment stay here while I 'deal' with the witch of this manor. And don't worry. I will leave someone here in the meantime who will watch over you in my absence..."

Before Gabriel could take even a step away from the group, the youngest of them had grabbed his right hand with both of hers, pulling at him, with her pleading eyes and voice as she spoke.

"P-Please... don't go. She's d-dangerous."

Simply smiling and kneeling down to her, Gabriel took his right hand away from her and ran it over her hair as he then gently leaned his forehead onto hers, before looking her in the eyes with a hint of mischief in his.

"I wouldn't worry young lady. I'm more dangerous."

For a moment, his declaration stunned her and everyone else in the room as a confident smile decorated his lips. Some of the older girls looked at him and then at each other in a wordless exchange of glances. They knew tales of strong "heroes" that could face off even with monsters, such as adventurers and workers.

They all nodded as one of them stepped forward to gently pull the youngest girl back, understanding that he could not be dissuaded. If their time in captivity taught them anything, it was how to read people, and they knew that any man who could make it this far and declare such a statement was not to be underestimated. He noticed their actions and behavior and gave them an understanding and approving nod.

He turned around, and before he could take a single step, the youngest girl earnestly spoke up.

"Jiselle. M-My name is Jiselle."

Gabriel then turned his head back to her, and then spoke in a soft voice as he smiled.

"Jiselle. A beautiful name, for a beautiful girl."

He couldn't see it as he walked over to the doorway, but after Gabriel had uttered those words, the young girl named Jiselle started blushing profusely and started fidgeting with a bang of her hair, akin to an embarrassed schoolgirl. Before any of the other girls could mull on her behavior, in stepped a beautiful woman to greet their savior with a bow.

She wore garments that were of a tight, black body suit with silver colored, armor-like portions on her shins, forearms, chest, and abdomen. Behind covering her buttocks was silver colored scaled coattails like that of a musical conductor, as she gripped in both of her hands and held in front, a silver and gold staff with arrow-like pointed ends with a blue sapphire at the base of one end, and a ruby at the other.

She was exquisitely dressed with a quality and finery that mesmerized them. Not even their "mistress" was in possession of the like. The shock of seeing her was heightened when they saw her beauteous face with perfect vanilla skin that glistened in the light of the room, and yellow sapphire colored eyes that shined like jewel, and gave off a warm and friendly energy that immediately told them that she would do them no harm.

She had slightly pointed ears like that of an elf, but smaller in size due to an obviously mixed heritage, and had long raven black hair that reached down to the middle of her back. The hair had a healthy sheen, but was wild and unkempt, giving it a spiked style that in no way made it less beautiful. Her warm and friendly beauty was only enhanced by the radiant smile she gave as she did a cordial bow to them, before Gabriel spoke.

"This is Tamura. She will be looking after you while I am gone."

"Do not worry, girls. You can count on me to keep you safe.~" Tamura says in a warm tone of voice as she reassures them with a smile.

The young girls, somewhat taken aback by the whole display, still managed to do small, robotic head bows in reply. Nodding approvingly at how they were reacting, Gabriel turned on his heel to continue down the hall as Tamura chuckled playfully and spoke in a cheerful tone.

"Good hunting, sir.~"

"I will." Gabriel replied in a neutral tone as he continued without looking back.

* * *

As Gabriel continued down a hallway that led to the main chambers of his objective, a number of traps that would have activated with his presence, were quietly deactivated by Tamura's Shadow Demon summons. They went ahead to perform some additional reconnaissance before he had even arrived, and now as he neared his objective, a set of double-doors stood before him.

Something stirred within him as he looked upon the doors, and as he did his eyes were enveloped by a ghostly emerald flame. A subtle, beastly growl could be heard in the air as an emerald aura outlined his body. He then stepped forward, placed his right hand on the double-doors, and the moment he did his body was assaulted with blasts of electrical discharges.

He did not flinch in the slightest as this happened. Instead, his aura extended from his body and enveloped the doors. Crackling and burning sounds echoed throughout the hallways as this happened, and then there was a flash of emerald flame as it burst outward from the doors, leaving a trail of green embers as it scorched the doors black.

 _'My control has gotten better, and I can now burn away weak 3rd-tier magicks without destroying the physical carrier of the enchantment. That hellish month of training I put myself through is paying off quite well. Now then...'_

Gabriel's thoughts concluded as he then pushed the double-doors forward and walked into the main chambers undaunted. As the doors slammed closed behind him, he glared at the reason for him being there. Sitting cross-legged in a well-crafted seat that was in the center of a large and luxuriously furnished space like a throne, was a beautiful woman, wearing immaculate white gloves.

She was in her early 40s with smooth, clear vanilla skin, had long, fiery red hair with curls and waves that draped over her shoulders, and had a considerable bust that was well accentuated by the red fabric that tightly bound her bosom with straps above and below her breasts. She looked at Gabriel with cool aqua-blue eyes filled with curiosity, superiority, and contempt, whilst also wearing a sadistic smirk.

He glared at her and felt nauseous just being in her presence. It did not take long for him to size up this woman. Staring into her eyes was like starring into empty pits that seemingly held no soul, although he knew better. Thanks to the nature of his abilities, he could tell that she did indeed have a soul, but it was rotten to the core. She thought nothing of those around her, and would order the worst of fates on someone without hesitation. A despot in every sense of the word.

"Well, well. What have we here? Did Leol find himself a new pet to play with?~" Rivka said mockingly as she slowly swayed a glassed of wine in hand in a circular motions.

Gabriel kept a blank, unreadable expression as he listened, taking in her words.

 _'Leol? Wait, I've heard that name. I've heard it mentioned once or twice as I spoke with a few people in this city. He's a well known merchant, and seemed to command a great deal of respect. Hmm... I see. So that's how it is. Something to look into later...'_ He thought to himself before addressing the "Countess" in a cold tone.

"Unfortunately you're mistaken, Rivka. I'm here of my own accord."

She frowned at the casual and rude nature that her name was used. As she narrowed her vision upon him, she found herself having difficulty reading him. His expression was almost like a wall, and the only things she could gleen from him was a barely contained disgust towards her. This part somewhat amused her, as she had seen this among a few of her own guards. She also had to admit, despite her lack of interest in men, she found his looks to be quite appealing, and a part of her even found him to be attractive.

"No matter. Whoever you are, I would have you repay this affront with your life." She declared with a sadistic tone and grin.

She then finished the wine in her glass, reached over, and shook a bell on her right side. The bell in question was a magic item that was created as a pair. When one bell rings, so does the other, as long as they were within as least 100 feet of each other. After doing this she placed the bell down and smiled triumphantly, thinking that she had won. That was until Gabriel's powerful voice, tinged with cold fury spoke up.

"My subordinates and I have already subdued and detained all of your guards in this manor. That includes the three female assassins that were on standby in the adjacent room. You are alone, you contemptible piece of garbage."

"Wha...! What did YOU SAY TO ME?!"

Rivka balefully roared as her face washed over in shades of red that matched her hair. Never in her life did ANYONE dare to speak to her like this mysterious man had done, and now her mind filled with the images of what she imagined her torturers would do to him when he was in her grasp.

It was one of her more perverse pastimes. Finding new and interesting ways to make someone suffer. She now wanted to ruin those good looks that seemingly made her question her vacant interest in men. Before more torture fantasies filled her mind, the timbre of Gabriel's voice changed again to a deathly serious tone as he brought up his right hand to eye level. Using his thumb, he began to crack the knuckles on each of his fingers as he spoke...

"Know this you deluded, self-important fool: I am not here to capture you for the authorities to find and prosecute. I am not here for games, and I'm certainly not here to listen to you ramble. I am here to end you, and before that end comes, you will know fear, you will know pain, and when that is done, you will die." He finished saying with a deep echoing voice.

Just then Gabriel took a single step forward, and it was like Rivka was blasted with a wave of heat so intense that if she was not already sitting down, it would have knocked her flat on her back from the force of the intensity alone. Despite the magic items that kept her body temperature at a constant level, she broke out in a cold sweat, and her body shook uncontrollably from the shock, and the realization of what she felt.

Fear.

She was afraid. True to his word, she felt terrified for the first time in recent memory, as what she could only describe as unrestrained malice stabbed at her consciousness like hot needles. She gritted her teeth as her pride stubbornly refused to accept the all too new reality being forced upon her. That of her end.

"NO! I WILL NOT ACCEPT IT! I AM COUNTESS RIVKA AIE RILE JELLICO! A NOBLE BORN LIKE ME WON'T END TO THE LIKES OF A MAN LIKE YOU, OR THAT BRAT THAT SITS ON THE THRONE!"

Rivka gasped for air as she concluded her callow and banal rant. At this Gabriel simply let out a fatigued sigh as he closed his eyes and spoke in a cold, matter-of-fact tone.

"I have seen your like before, and every time it gets tiresome, but before you die, let me enlighten you on something. High-born or not, in the end, death recognizes all equally. There are few to no exceptions to this... No matter. You've tasted fear, and now you will bask in it for a little while longer. There are about 20 steps between us, and every step I take will bring you that much closer to your end. You can use that time to either reflect, or resist. Either way, it doesn't matter. My name is Gabriel, and your life ends here."

Rivka could not parse the words coming from this man that had identified himself as, "Gabriel". Nor could she understand where this profound sense of dread was coming from. It was like his presence alone forced down a great weight that held her in place. Even if she could move, he was close enough to stop her from reaching her hidden escape route in her bedroom in the back. She clenched down on her teeth as an ember of defiance welled up from within her, and spoke in a tone of pride.

"Feh! I won't run. Come to me if you dare! I am not defenseless! No man has ever touched me, and none ever will!"

Gabriel sighed once more as he looked up at her and spoke in a sardonic tone of voice.

"Were those supposed to be your last words? Very well then. Let us begin."

Just as he said those words, Gabriel slowly took one step forward, and then a second, and then a third, and with each step he took it was like the world itself silenced, and his steps created a thunderous echo inside Rivka's skull. She found it maddening, but was somehow able to retain enough composure to act as she forcibly removed her gloves and discarded them on the floor, revealing ten rings. One ring for each finger.

"ENOUGH! You won't come any closer!"

Gabriel halted for a moment and perked a brow at the sight. He then seemed to sniff the air, and in such a subtle fashion that the crazed Rivka did not even notice.

 _'Hmm... Those rings aren't ordinary. They're magic items. In fact, she's covered in a wide array of items. Though none of them are anywhere close to the caliber of those worn by the NPCs of the Keep. And she's able to wear ten rings? As expected, seems like the ring restriction from the game doesn't apply in a real world setting. Alright. I'll play along...'_

One of the changes that Gabriel went through when his dragonic armor merged with his body, was taking on more dragonic traits. This included being able to literally "smell" an item's value. A dragon's vaunted "treasure sense" that had been hinted at in the lore of YGGDRASIL, and something that Gabriel discovered himself to have during the course of his re-training. Before he could mull on the subject any further, Rivka pointed her right index finger at him and chanted out...

"[Lightning]!"

Just then, a blue bolt of electric energy gathered around her glowing ring and shot out towards Gabriel, exploding in a blast of blue sparks, and creating a cloud of dust as it made contact with his lacqure chest-plate. Before the dust even settled, the still seated Rivka was panting as if she had run a marathon, and laughed maniacally at the results.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You see?! Foolish man! This is the difference between us! With my wealth as a high-born, I acquired these [Rings of Magicbound]! They allow me to use magic, even if I am not a magic caster! Hah! You should be grateful! You are the first I had ever used them on! I..."

Rivka's pontification was promptly halted as her eyes widened in shock and horror. As the dust cleared, Gabriel was not only revealed to be unharmed, but simply flicked away at the spot the lightning bolt had struck, like he was flicking away dust.

"That ring you used... That was the most powerful of your collection, wasn't it?" Gabriel nonchalantly asked a dumbstruck Rivka.

"W-Wha? Im... possi...ble."

Seemingly ignoring her shock, Gabriel casually continued speaking...

"That ring seems the most intricately crafted, and until you used that spell, seemed the most powerful. Now, I sense nothing from it, meaning it and the others are most likely one-time-use types. Meaning, you only have nine more shots before I reach you. Try and make them count. You delusional thunder-cunt."

Rivka gnashed her teeth in anger at the insult, but also in her mania, unable to grasp how he had shrugged off a 3rd-tier spell like it was nothing. Before she could think on it any further, Gabriel took another step forward. It was a simple motion, yet she wailed at the top of her lungs in fright as she rose her left palm forward, and then casted her next stored spell from her middle-finger's ring...

"[MAGIC ARROW]!"

Arrows of yellow light shot forward and stuck their target, and like the spell before it, there was no effect. Gabriel simply cupped his lower lip upward, and blew a bang of his hair away that had been displaced over his left eye by the spell. He then took another step forward...

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

It was like the whole world twisted for Rivka as she could not comprehend what was happening before her. She could feel Gabriel's presence press down on her more and more with each step he took. Pride and desperation had firmly taken hold of her as she started to release each spell she had left, one after the other...

"[Spark]!"

The spell created an electrical burst that normally shocks and disorients foes, and it proved as ineffectual as it stronger 3rd-tier cousin, [Lightning].

"[Acid Arrow]!"

A bolt of acid hits Gabriel's face dead-center. However, while it corrodes and melts the surrounding areas, he simply shrugs it off like he had been splashed with water.

"[Shock Wave]!"

The spell distorted space around his chest, and seemed to do naught but displace the surrounding air as Gabriel cleared his throat and took another step forward.

"[Blindness]!"

A spell that should have rendered him blind did little more than make him roll his eyes in annoyance as he took another step forward.

"[Open Wounds]!"

This elicited little more than a small, derisive cough from Gabriel as he continued.

"[Flash Burn]!"

What should have burned his flesh and set his clothes alight did little more than dry his hair and clothes from the earlier [Acid Arrow] spell.

"WHAT IS THIS?! WHY DOES NOTHING WORK?!"

As if in reply to her query, Gabriel speaks in a neutral tone as he continues to slowly walk forward.

"The answer is quite simple you fool. Those assassins that you seemed so proud of before? They were maybe level-20 each, while I'm a level-97. I'm simply too powerful for those weak, low-tier spells to have any meaningful effect."

"W-Wha...?"

Rivka was dumbfounded. His words regarding "levels" made little sense to her, and how he regarded those spells as beneath him was the the same way she regarded those of lower station. Of course, these things did not matter anymore. She sat frozen in place, her thoughts a whirlwind, and before she could collect herself again, Gabriel was already standing in front of her.

In her shock she somehow found the strength to shoot up from her seat. As soon as she did, Rivka felt a swift, open palm slap sting her left cheek. The force was strong enough to throw her backwards, and she barely caught herself as she leaned over the right armrest of her "throne". As her left hand trembled up to her face, she noted not only the condition of her cheek, but also the loss of two teeth, and a broken nose.

"...!"

She did not have time to mull as Gabriel grabbed her by the back of the neck with his right hand, and restrained her left with his left, twisting her arm until it could be held in place with minimal effort. He pressed his body weight against hers, and as his groin pressed onto her buttocks, she let out a shocked gasp at what she felt. A shiver ran up her spine as her own twisted imagination ran away from her.

"No... You... NO!"

Gabriel perked a brow at this, and it did not take him long to realize why she reacted like she did as he spoke in a cold, almost bored tone of voice.

"Don't get carried away. I'm not so base as to do something like that. Besides, I would not soil myself with filth like you..."

"Wha...? Argh!"

Her fear was replaced with anger for a moment as her pride as a woman was grievously wounded by his words. She always took pride in flaunting her beauty to men, sneering and looking down at them as she could see in their eyes their desire for her. But Gabriel was an entirely different matter. As she turned her head, she saw at the corner of her left eye no lust or desire. She saw utter disgust and contempt as he spoke again.

"... Even if it's something you deserve, for what you've done to those children."

"What?! Is THAT what this is about?! Those low-born girls?! SO WHAT?! I'm a high-born! I simply took what was mine by right!"

*CRACK!*

"AAAAAARGH!"

Pain shot through Rivka's left arm she Gabriel shifted and broke it in one subtle motion. To him, it was as if he snapped a twig.

*CRACK!*

"AAAAAAAAH!"

Another audible cracking noise resounded throughout the chamber as Gabriel then proceeded to break her left thumb. The ring she bore on in fell off, clattering on the floor as she wailed from the intense pains that were shooting through her. He then spoke with venomous, contemptuous tones as he leaned towards her left ear.

"You have ruined the lives of those children. No one has that right. It's something that I never tolerated. Even if it went against my late wife's wishes and words of wisdom. You, who would steal the lives and futures away from young innocents, sickens me to my very core. You remind me all too much of that Yogg filth I killed. I can smell the blood on this place. Just how many lives...?"

Gabriel gritted his teeth as he felt himself being taken in by his anger. One of the more troublesome of his new abilities he discovered was being able to sense the death in an area, or on beings. He surmised it was due to the [Blood Magic] in his veins, combined with his new dragonic senses. Much like he could smell treasure, he could "smell" the lingering traces of blood, pain, and death. And this place was absolutely foul to him.

*CRACK!*

"AAAAAAAAH!"

"ANSWER! HOW MANY LIVES?! HOW MANY CHILDREN?!"

Gabriel bellowed as his voice resounded with a thunderous echo filled with wrath and fury. As it did, he unconsciously released his emerald aura, and all at once Rivka was struck with an overwhelming fear so all-consuming that it dulled out her pain. All of her defiance and resistance fell away as she answered in a stuttering, fear stricken voice.

"I... d-don't know. I-I never c-counted..."

*CRACK!*

"AAAAAAAAH!"

That was the last straw for him. As the area shined with the emerald brilliance of his flame-like aura, Gabriel stayed true to his promise of pain, by breaking each of her fingers one by one. Her body violently shook, overwhelmed by pain the likes of which she had never experienced before. By the time he was done, all ten of her magic rings were on the floor as her fingers went limp. He then stood her upright, cupping her chin with his right hand, while he steadied the back of her head with his left.

"This is the end you foul cunt. Your death will give them the cathartic jolt needed to help them move on with their lives. And you? Hell has a place for trash like you."

"...!"

*CRACK!*

It was over in an instant.

Though there was some regret that her death was painless, Gabriel took some solace in the fact that she would not hurt anyone else as his aura faded. He held her body by her shirt collar as he sent a mental command to a Shadow Demon that was standing guard in the hall outside. It silently slithered in with the shadows, and collected all it could.

First the magic items on Rivka's body, the rings on the floor, and then it proceeded to scout the rest of the area. Gabriel continued to hold Rivka's body by the collar as he swing it behind him, and walked out as if he was carrying a jacket over his shoulder. He then activated his ring, and spoke with Tamura via [Message]...

 _[Tamura, have the girls brought out in the hall. There's something they need to see...]_

* * *

Absolute silence filled the hallway as the twelve young girls stood in place, wide-eyed and motionless. Their savior stood erect with Tamura at his side, and at his feet lay the unmoving body of their captor and tormentor, Rivka Aie Rile Jellico. Stunned at the sight, some even considered what they were seeing was a dream. Indeed, they had long dreamed of such a moment, but to be actually seen in real life, left them at a loss for words. Just then Gabriel spoke up in a soft, but firm voice.

"This is not a dream, and this is not a trick. The source of all of your suffering is now gone. Once and for all time."

His words seemed to be what they needed to wake them from their stupor as each girl had their own type of reaction. Some hugged each other and silently shed tears, others grasped their hands together in silent prayer, while others glared at the dead body with fire in their eyes. This was all the more apparent in the eyes of the 13 old, Jiselle. She stepped forward, stunning all the other girls present as she did.

While the older girls still seemed afraid to approach the body, Jiselle did not. Instead she stood over Rivka's corpse with hatred burning in her eyes. This was all too obvious to both Gabriel and Tamura, even before the young girl screamed at the top of her lungs, and started stomping on Rivka's lifeless face. Tamura wanted to go to her side to stop and comfort her, but a hand on her shoulder and a solemn look from Gabriel halted her. In that moment, she understood his intentions, nodded, and let her be.

As Jiselle allowed all her pent up hatred and abuse to vent, the other girls started to join in on assaulting Rivka's corpse with a myriad of kicks and stomps as they all started to cry, wail, and roar as they all released all their bottled up anger, resentment, and sorrow from what they had been through. After 10 minutes, they all collapsed to their knees, mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted, and Rivka's body a beaten mess.

However, despite this the look in their eyes had newfound life. Their facial expressions varied between each of them, but the one most common to all, was that of relief. Like they had been freed from a great weight that weighed down their backs and their souls. As he looked upon them, Gabriel had a countenance of understanding, and one that Tamura shared as she looked upon him, and then back to the girls.

 _'It's not enough to have the body freed. Their hearts and souls must follow for them to truly recover. Isn't that right, my lord?'_ Tamura mused to herself as a kind smile spread over her lips.

Just then, Gabriel stepped over Rivka's broken body, took a knee and rest his right hand on Jiselle's left shoulder. When their eyes met, a firm expression of understanding was on his face, while profound admiration, respect, relief, and gratitude was on hers. Jiselle then jumped onto Gabriel's chest as she wrapped her small arms around his neck, and in a soft, cracking voice spoke into his right ear.

"Thank you... Thank you so much..."

He smiled as he heard her small yet earnest voice reverberate in his ear, and then kissed her on the cheek as he held her firmly, but gently as he replied.

"You are welcome."

They remained like this for a few minutes before Gabriel then gently pulled her away so that their eyes could meet while he spoke to her and the rest as they looked on.

"Now then. I'm going to give you all a choice. I can either help you find your way to your former homes, or... you can come to mine. There, you'll be well cared for. You'll be given a chance to grow into a better life where you can improve yourselves, and NO ONE will touch you unless you want them to."

Gabriel's words surprised them as they all looked towards each other in confusion and uncertainty. Likewise, Tamura was surprised for a few moments. That was before an expression of understanding washed over her face and she smiled, seemingly picking up on his intentions. The girls however continued to exchange looks in a sort of wordless conversation, while Jiselle's gaze remained fixed on Gabriel's eyes.

It became clear to him that she needed no time at all to make her decision as he softly spoke to her.

"Your 'sisters' seem unsure, but what of you, Jiselle? What do you want to do?"

A firm determination seemed to flash in her eyes as she earnestly and passionate spoke up.

"I want to leave! I want to go to a place far away! Please!"

For a moment, Gabriel was going to ask if she had a home to go back to, but realized if that was truly the case, her plea would not have been so earnest. Given what he had learned of this society, she was either kidnapped, or sold into slavery by her own family. Either way, the odds seemed high that this could happen again, and if so he would not be around to help her. Upon realizing this, he smiled and gently patted her on the head as he softly replied...

"Alright."

The relieved smile that beamed across her face would have melted the heart of even the most cynical of individuals as Gabriel continued to rub the top of her head. She seemed even happier when he did this and gently continued as he addressed the rest of the girls in the room.

"And what of the rest of you? What is your decision? To stay? Or to go?"

The other eleven girls looked at the youngest of them, who seemed almost gleeful at their savior's acceptance, and all at once they looked at each other. While there were a few that seemed hesitant, they all nodded as one, and then all bowed as one. They each gave a different reply, but the meaning was the same: they would go with him.

Gabriel smiled and nodded as he then turned to Tamura, and spoke in a calm tone of voice as he gave out his next instructions.

"Arrange for them to be transported to the 5th-floor. Dracon's Keep will be accepting it's first group of refugees."

Tamura had a proud and happy expression on her face as she bowed to Gabriel.

"By your command, my lord."

Gabriel turned back to face the group of girls whom looked confused by their exchange. He simply gave them a warm smile as she he patted the young girl Jiselle on the head, who happily accepted the gesture. Then, in the depths of Gabriel's subconscious a deep voice echoed...

 _/"Very good young one. You have taken an important step in walking your own path. Now, you must continue..."/_

* * *

Over an hour later, Gabriel stood next to the front entrance of Rivka's manor with arms folded and eyes closed, as if in meditation. Then suddenly, the purplish-black portal of the [Gate] spell opened just a few feet next to him. This did not seem to surprise to him as he opened his eyes, and then the beautiful figure of Tamura stepped out of the portal and greeted her master with a bow.

"How are they settling in?" He asked calmly.

"Quite well, my lord. Your accompanying them to the 5th-floor helped a great deal in their adjustment, and the additional structures that were built were perfect for their needs.~" Tamura happily replied.

"Good. I'm glad I ordered you and Walter to begin construction of additional facilities on that floor for that very purpose. Though I didn't expect them to come in handy so soon."

Over an hour ago, Gabriel and Tamura escorted the group of young girls to the 5th-Floor of Dracon's Keep, "Crystal Gardens". To say that they were mesmerized by the sights they witnessed would have been a massive understatement. As the group stood in the dreamlike realm, they were in complete awe, unable to say a single word. It was only the warm, fortifying presence of their savior that allowed them to accept their surroundings, after being led through a [Gate].

Gabriel had explained that he had access to powerful magicks that could transport them vast distances from one location to another, and this only further captivated them, as their minds were filled with wonder and excitement over the possibilities of their own new adventure, as they were led to what would be their new homes. He was pleased with the results of such an unorthodox method of helping along their recovery, as they seemed to forget their trauma, and were acting like excited teenage girls.

Afterward, Gabriel had returned to the manor, saying that there were things that he needed to take care of, and that he promised to visit them soon. He smiled as he recalled the group hug that the girls gave him before he left. Truthfully, he was not sure that they would let him go long enough to leave, and he did not have the heart to try to force his way out of it.

When he returned, he ensured that all valuables were transported out of the manor, as well as any records, and items. Only the furniture was left behind, as he felt that any investigation would have thought beyond strange that an entire manor was somehow emptied in less than a day, and that was not the kind of attention that he wanted to give to this place. Tamura's inquisitive voice then pulled him away from his thoughts.

"My lord, once the guards and assassins have been interrogated, what would you wish done with them?"

"An excellent question, Tamura. Were any found to have touched any children, of any race brought here?" Gabriel asked with a cold edge to his voice.

"N-No, my lord. In fact, they were all repulsed by that very notion due to Rivka's actions here. We also learned that the female assassins in her employ also suffered the same fate as the young girls we just saved. They were bought young, used for her pleasure, and trained to do her bidding once they showed potential for more than objects for her desires. They hated her, but were well... conditioned into believing that there was nothing they could do." Tamura finished saying with a disgusted tinge to her voice as she stared daggers at the slightly opened doorway.

Gabriel did not fail to pick up on this as he spoke up in a concerned tone of voice.

"What's on your mind Tamura?"

"My lord... May I speak freely?"

"When it's just us, or just us with Charon and Walter? Always." Gabriel said in a reassuring tone.

"Well, my lord, the more I learned of this woman, the more I feel that death was too good of a punishment for her." Tamura stated with barely contained rage, as her shining yellow eyes glowed.

"I see... Then tell me Tamura, what would you do as her punishment?" He asked in a neutral tone as he narrowed his vision on her.

"If allowed my lord, I would have her revived, and then I would arrange for some 'specialized' summons to ravage her, day in, day out, for years on end." Tamura said with a furious, predatory glint in her eye.

For a moment, Gabriel said nothing as he developed a pensive expression, and then sighed in a fatigued manner as he calmly spoke in a low timbre.

"You're so much like Alisha..."

"M-My lord...?" Tamura said in a surprised gasp.

Her reaction elicited a weak chuckle as he spoke in a whimsical manner.

"Hehe. You're suggestion resembles something Alisha once did. I did not personally witness this, but she once used [Blood Magic] to transform a serial rapist she captured from a man, into a woman. Afterward, she dropped 'him' off in an area that was notorious for sex trafficking. From what she told me, he died repeatedly saying how sorry 'he' was. Your viciousness towards those kinds of people is very much like hers. Heh. 'Like mother, like daughter', I suppose." Gabriel finished as he smiled.

"Oh, my... I, that is, my... mother..." Tamura stuttered, blushing and visibly flustered. Gabriel chuckled at the display as he continued.

"Hehe. Don't think too much on it. I know that Alisha would be proud of you for holding similar morals. However, she told me how much she regretted her actions back then, and wished that she just simply killed the offender, instead of perpetuating more suffering, even if deserved. That is why I will reject your notion this time. Understand?"

Tamura's eyes widened in understanding at his words, and bowed in acknowledgement. She knew her "mother" had a great many regrets in her memories of her talking to her for hours on end, and indeed she was aware of that particular event that Gabriel had just described. She chided herself for having forgotten such a thing in her rage, but then resolved to do better, as her "mother" would have wanted.

"I understand, my lord. Thank you for your words of wisdom. Although, does that not also mean that we will not be toppling the slave trade in this country?"

Gabriel was visibly surprised by the comment as he composed himself and his thoughts quickly raced...

 _'Where in the world did she get THAT notion? Ah, no matter. I better quickly put a lid on that idea before a potential disaster is encouraged...'_

"Tamura, as I already stated, our actions here were in response to the earnest request of the elf I saved, which was in direct response to my words to her to repay the kindness of others. And once she made me aware of the plight of these girls, I could not ignore it. However, that doesn't mean that what we did here will be repeated across this country. The sad fact is, in order to do what you describe, would require overturning this society as a whole. That would in turn disrupt the very delicate balance of this fragile world, and potentially exposing Dracon's Keep. Even if done covertly, unwanted attention would still be drawn, and in the end we would end up causing more problems than we would solve. Understand?"

"I... I understand, my lord. Forgive my hastiness. Your foresight is truly formidable." Tamura said with an apologetic bow.

"It's fine Tamura. I understand your feelings on this matter quite well. However, always remember that our actions can and will have long reaching repercussions, and we must be careful of that..."

Just then, Gabriel rubs his right temple as if experiencing some discomfort, and then an echoing voice in his subconscious speaks.

 _/"Hmm... A disappointing decision young one, but your logic is sound, so I will go along with it. For now at least..."/_

The voice faded as Gabriel shook his head, and just as Tamura was about to speak up in concern, he continued speaking in an authoritarian tone of voice.

"Now then, moving on, the other guards that were interrogated, and the documents that we seized. Did they happen to mention a man named Leol?"

Tamura straightened her posture, seeing there was no need for concern, and smiled seeing her master so focused on the task at hand as she happily replied.

"Oh, yes my lord.~ It seems that your suspicions were correct. This man named 'Leol' is also another slave trader, as well as a merchant of many other types of goods. However, unlike that detestable woman, he seems more well liked, respected, and amiable in comparison. In fact, some of the guards were working as his spies, and were hoping that he would make a move on her."

He cupped his chin with his right hand as he took in the new information, and certain pieces of the puzzle began to fall into place. Although, he could not help but feel that he had overlooked something, somewhere. He glanced at Tamura as he mulled on the topic, and she smiled and nodded, seemingly thinking the same thing as he then spoke.

"Come. Let us pay this Leol a visit."

"By your command, my lord." Tamura said with a mischievous grin.

* * *

 **City of Kesavine, High-Class District, Office of Leol Furt Rymune  
-The following day, early afternoon-**

A clear day's sky beamed the warm rays of the sun through the windows of Leol's office as he gingerly drank tea from a porcelain tea cup. By his side, was Lucille in her maid attire, watching over him with a careful scrutinizing gaze, as if she naturally expected trouble of some kind. Recent events put her on edge, and as her master read the latest reports from across the city, she spoke in a concerned tone.

"Um, master? If I may, is it wise to go about your day as if nothing has happened?"

An amused smile crossed his lips as he placed down his still steaming cup, and answered in a light, calm voice.

"It's quite alright my dear. To everyone else, all must appear normal after all. Even if there were some rather 'interesting' developments yesterday."

Leol's sight went to a stack of reports that he had been reading all morning long. He had expected something to happen at Rivka's estate. His instincts told him that much, but what happened had greatly exceeded his expectations.

In the evening, the Imperial Guard moved back in to Rivka's quarter of the district, and went to her manor for a routine check. What they had found went beyond everyone's definition of the word, "surprising". Not only did they find it darkened and unlocked, but they found the "Countess" Rivka herself, dead, naked, beaten, and strung up with a sign that said, "This is what happens to dirty slavers and filthy child rapists".

Needless to say, the entire city was in an uproar over the whole affair. Especially since Rivka Aie Rile Jellico held considerable power and influence within the city. Her obvious murder almost the equivalent of a political figure getting assassinated. None the least of which news of her "occupation" and "preferences" somehow leaking to the public. That also further exacerbated the situation, leading to a lot of scandals and finger pointing.

Though Leol was immune to most of this, he was not immune to suspicion, despite his own influence. Especially since it was his order that the guards were well away from Rivka's manor. However, citizens and passers-by in that area noted nothing unusual all day. If anything, they thought the area was _too_ quiet. Then there was the missing staff, items, and valuables at the scene. Despite a multitude of speculation and conjecture, nothing conclusive was found anywhere.

As for Leol himself, he suspected that the man known as "Ishmael" was somehow behind this, but this was information that he kept to himself. As for Rivka's estate, she left no heirs and no will. So everything she left behind, including influence, personnel, land, and finances were all up for grabs. Though none could move on it just yet. Not without painting themselves as the guilty party, in some fashion.

Though it was a somewhat frustrating situation for Leol, a part of him was greatly pleased with the results. Rivka caused him and other "businessmen" in the city nothing but grief, and truly, she would not be missed. As he mulled on this, he felt something odd in the air. Like there was a slight breeze, despite there was no window being open.

He looked to his faithful bodyguard/assassin Lucille, and saw that her alertness and tension had risen by several levels, as she was even quicker to notice the change. She stayed close to his side as she quickly pulled a pair of daggers seemingly from thin air. He was always amazed by the celerity of her movements after she had completed her training, as well as her keen senses.

"...!"

Just then the air in front of his office doors seemed to distort, and a veil seemed to have dropped as two male figures were revealed. Lucille would have immediately attacked, were it not for Leol's steady hand lifting up to halt her actions. Despite the shock of seeing the spell [Invisibility] in an area that was warded against it, his curiosity, as well as his caution kept him calm and analytical. Especially when he recognized one of the men.

The descriptions seemed to perfectly match the man he had heard so much about. The man that called himself, "Ishmael". He was accompanied by a rather stern looking butler whom stood ramrod straight by his side. He had an athletic and toned build and was a ruggedly handsome man in his mid-40s, with blue colored eyes, and black slicked back hair. Leol perked a brow as he studied the butler.

He wore what looked like a long-sleeve, white button-up shirt with a tie and vest, as well as black gloves, and silver glasses. He projected the image of the perfect butler with a gentlemanly aura, but also a countenance that communicated focus and discipline. These traits immediately told Leol that he was not a simple butler, and as he looked to Lucille at the corner of his right eye, she seemed to pick up on the same things.

Before either of them could consider the situation further, "Ishmael" spoke in a firm and commanding tone of voice.

"You are Leol Furt Rymune, correct?"

"I am indeed. And I assume you are the one named, 'Ishmael'?" Leol replied in a calm, businesslike tone.

"I am indeed." He replied in a neutral tone, echoing what Leol said earlier.

Leol did his best to read the man, but was seemingly unable to. His expression was stiff and focused, which betrayed nothing. Although Leol was not one to admire another man's looks, he had to admit to himself that Ishmael was quite the specimen, and that the reports on him were not exaggerated.

"I see... And how can I help you, Ishmael?" Leol asked in a calm and cordial manner.

"Well, allow me to get more comfortable before we get to the heart of the matter."

As he finished saying his peace, "Ishmael" stepped forward a few steps as he butler then smoothly pulled a nearby chair out for him. As he sat down, both Leol and Lucille studied his movements, and that of his butler. Every action of swift, smooth, and confident, with nary a wasted motion or uncertainty. Every movement was deliberate and filled with both strength and grace.

If Leol did not know any better, he would have swore that the man in front of him was nobility, but there was also a martial quality to the man that caught his attention. It was like he was in the presence of a refined gentleman soldier. Just then the butler to the man's side handed him a small, finely wrapped tube of what he recognized as a smoking instrument, but not one he was familiar with.

Ishmael took it in hand, and as he continued to maintain a hold, he placed placed in his mouth as his butler lit it with a silver lighting item that made a distinct "click" sound, and again he did not recognize. Ishmael took a few puffs as his faithful butler pulled out a fine glass ashtray, and placed it on the right armrest of the seat. After a brief moment of enjoying his smoking, Ishmael spoke once more in a neutral, emotionless tone.

"Now then, as to the reason for my appearance, I am here to make you an offer."

"An... offer?" Leol asked as he perked a brow at the usual turn of events.

"Yes. One that you cannot possibly refuse..."

"..."

* * *

 ***A/N: Welp! One arc ends, with a lead in for another. I know it sucks to stop here, but there's more on the horizon after this, so please be patient. Especially since for the moment I am going to turn my focus back to my Madara crossover for a couple of chapters. Yeah, bummer that, but I've left readers of that fanfic hanging long enough, and I need to put some work into it. But like I said, it is only for a couple of chapters, so hopefully, IRL willing, the wait won't be for TOO long. In the meantime, to make the wait more bearable, here is some recommended reading! For anime fans like me familiar with an anime called, "Fist of the North Star", please give a fanfic called, "Hokuto no Ladies", a try. It's by a fanfic author called "Kumo no Juuza", who has done great work with Overlord fanfics. Please give this talented fellow your support while I am busy. Also, for those that may not frequent the the sister site of fictionpress, I HIGHLY recommend that you head over there and check out an original fiction called "Diabolic Lover", by an author called, "Dawn Sorenson". Her work has got me hooked, and it's definitely worth the read. ;) Until next time! ^_^***


	14. Chapter 14-Dealings & Beginnings

**Chapter 14-Dealings & Beginnings  
**

 **City of Kesavine, High-Class District, Office of Leol Furt Rymune**

Leol took a deep breath as he was faced with a rather new situation. Throughout his life he always made it a point to be prepared for any sort of meeting or negotiation. Nearly everything from the topic, to the other party or parties involved. It was nearly to the point that he could tell when the party's mouth was dry. Then he could offer the very best in beverages with which to either soothe them, or poison them if necessary.

Now? He was the one at a COMPLETE disadvantage. Not only was he unprepared, going into negotiations completely blind, but was also completely unbalanced, due to his newest arrival's most unorthodox method of making his entrance. He was calm enough to surmise that to be his intent however. This alone told him that this "Ishmael" was no amateur or stranger to the deal-making process, thus giving him the advantage.

Leol could not mull on these issues any further, as he sensed that the main event was about to occur, judging by the ever so subtle shifts in Ishmael's body language that he was able to pick up on. Truthfully, it both unnerved and excited Leol to have to deal with such a difficult to read individual. It had been a long time since he has had an enjoyable challenge such as this, as he then spoke in a calm, cordial tone...

"An offer I cannot possibly refuse? That is a rather... intriguing thing to say, Ishmael."

Ishmael himself seemed rather unmoved and calm as he leisurely smoked, and then flicked ashes into the nearby glass tray. His butler continued to dutifully stand at his side with a calm countenance that showed he was completely at ease, and confident in his master's safety. Much like his master, his expression betrayed nothing, and Leol could glean very little in the way of useful information. Just then Ishmael casually spoke...

"Perhaps it would be intriguing without the proper context, Messere Leol. However, given what happened with Rivka Aie Rile Jellico, you would agree that a mutually beneficial deal would be preferable to the alternatives."

Leol tensed for only a moment as Ishmael made his statement, although he masterfully hid this, and all at once certain pieces fell into place. First, Ishmael referencing what had happened with Rivka. He had suspected that this man had some hand in her fate, and while he did not outright state he did, for Leol it was enough to where it may as well have been an admission.

Second, was Ishmael's speech patterns. He was an educated man to be sure, and while he seemed to be direct, he also hid the most important clues to himself and his intentions behind a veil of words that indirectly references things. It was like he was talking in circles, while at the same time disguising it as being frank. Though Leol was not unused to it due to his time in court, to see it coming from this stranger was both exciting and unnerving at the same time.

Then there was the use of the title "Messere", that Ishmael had used to preface his first name. The title itself was not unfamiliar to him, but it was not something that those of the Baharuth Empire used often. This all but confirmed his original suspicion that this man was a foreigner, though the point of his origin still eluded him. His neutral accent likewise told him nothing, although by reading his lips, he was able to conclude that the language he was speaking was not that of the Empire's. Although he was unsure as to which language it was. This was due to the nature of their world, which automatically translated most common forms of spoken tongues.

Then of course there was the use of his given name in addressing him instead of his family name, which in itself was a puzzle. Proper etiquette usually dictated that one addressed another in certain circles and unfamiliars by their family name, but in using Leol's first name, Ishmael was establishing himself as one in a position that was equal to his, if not superior. The fact that this man was most likely responsible for the death of Rivka, and her estate somehow being cleaned out, made such a possibility apparent. So realizing the situation that he was in, Leol decided to be the one to take the initiative.

"I see... So then, what kind of offer do you bring?" Leol asked in a calm, businesslike tone.

Ishmael's expression was stern, yet blank at the same time as he locked eye contact with Leol. It sent a shiver go down the lengths of his spine when this happened. It was like he stared into the eyes of death itself for a moment, but then the feeling quickly vanished as if it was just an illusion. This confused Leol for a brief moment before Ishmael spoke in a neutral tone.

"Well, allow me to be clear, Messere Leol. There will be a few topics I would like to discuss. The first is a simple one: your current role in the slave trade. While you keep it hidden well, I'm well aware of the role you play in it. So my first offer, is to become your exclusive customer in the slave trade. Meaning, any further 'acquisitions' will go through my designated representative, and additional contacts at the Ishesa settlement."

Leol restrained the urge to widen his eyes in surprise at Ishmael's words. He knew a great deal for someone new to this area, but that was not of immediate importance. The place he had just named was the border settlement of the ever isolationist, "Land of the Drake Riders". To his knowledge, the small, reclusive nation that bordered the Baharuth Empire, the Dragon Kingdom, and the Wyvern Rider Territories didn't practice ANY kind of slavery, so it made little sense. Had there been a chance of some kind?

It was a confounding thing for someone like Leol to have no inkling as to what was going on and why. The only clue he had was Ishmael's acquisition of that elf-girl on his first day in Kesavine. How he had acted during that time was the only clue he had in this puzzle, and just as some thoughts and ideas began to form, another matter needed to be addressed first...

"A rather interesting offer, Ishmael. Indeed, it possesses many merits. However, I hope that you can understand when I say that as open as I am to such an arrangement, I will not be able to completely halt the sell of slaves here in Kesavine. It would attract some suspicion. Something I am sure you would like to avoid."

Leol said his final words with subtle hints of confidence, mixed in with smugness. He still was unsure as to Ishmael's aims and motivations, but whatever they were, he suspected that his "guest" wanted to avoid anything that drew negative attention. He had hoped a correct guess would break the unreadable countenance of this man, and give him some kind of an advantage in this situation.

However, that did not come to pass, as Ishmael's expression remained the same, telling him that he had expected this, and had a counter ready. Leol's suspicion would be proven correct as Ishmael calmly spoke.

"Of that I can appreciate, Messere Leol. Therefore, while I am open to the continued sell of slaves within the Empire, my designated representative will have the final say on who will be sold slaves. Meaning, as contingent to this deal, how you sell your slaves will be altered. Prospective clientele will have to apply for slaves, and after they do, they will be properly vetted and approved by my people. On this point I won't compromise."

This nearly brought a reaction out from the former noble. Properly vetting clientele? An approval process? For a moment confusion mired his thoughts until Leol had a moment of realization...

 _'Aaaah... Now I see. The elf-girl's condition and treatment... That must be it. The pieces do seem to fit. Although, why...'_

Leol felt something was amiss. Given the circumstances, and what little he had gleaned from this man named "Ishmael", he felt that perhaps the direct approach would not be out of the question as he spoke with a calm, neutral tone.

"Could you kindly clarify something for me, Ishmael? While I am not completely opposed to your proposition, why go through such efforts?"

Ishmael finished smoking his cigarette, and leisurely put its remains out as he crossed his legs and laid his hands in his lap. He locked eyes with Leol, and for a moment he could see a hint of anger in Ishmael's sight before it seemed to subside, and he calmly replied.

"Let me answer your question with another question, Messere. Have you ever once put any thought into _where_ the slaves you and your associates capture come from? Furthermore, have you ever once thought about what would happen if those captured were connected to anyone or anything important and powerful?"

Both Leol and Lucille tensed as the subtle implications became all too obvious for them, and Leol took in a breath, closed his eyes, and nodded as he tapped his right index finger on his desk. This was enough of a signal to Lucille, whom prepared an amber drink for him with smooth, practiced movements that would be the envy of any maid. He then took a thoughtful posture as he calmly took a sip from his favorite liqueur to try and soothe his now growing nerves. His lips pursed into a straight line as his thoughts raced.

 _'Damn that woman... Though there's no evidence to support this, given recent events, and what this man is implying, Rivka must have taken someone from the Drake Rider Country. Perhaps that elf. Still, that leaves a great deal of other questions, but it is unlikely that this man would answer them. Damn it. I am surrounded by fools! No. Perhaps "fool" is far too kind a word, but that doesn't matter now. That reclusive country is ruled by a royal family of dragons. It's not inconceivable to assume that they have magic items and resources to rival or surpass the Empire. This man... Could he be their agent? A member of their royal family? The Queen of the Dragon Kingdom is dragon blooded, so perhaps...'_

Leol's thoughts came to an abrupt end when Ishmael began to speak again, after his faithful butler had lit another cigarette for him.

"Moving on to the next item..."

Ishmael paused as he nodded to the butler at his side, who then nodded back in reply, and then crisply walked over to the front of the desk so that he was facing Lucille. He then produced a sealed white envelope that was inside of his vest, and while holding it with both of his hands he presented it to Lucille. She in turn took it with both hands as they cordially bowed to each other.

Their movements were so graceful and eloquent that one would be rightfully mistaken into thinking that they had worked and encountered each other before. As the butler named Walter returned to Ishmael's side, Lucille briefly inspected the envelope for any signs of danger, before then handing it over to Leol. It did not bear any type of seal, so he opened it without reserve and pulled out a single folded sheet of fine white paper.

It was something he took a moment to marvel over, as the quality was in excess of anything he had seen in the merchant sector. Even during his time as a noble he rarely saw such fine quality paper. It was tremendously crisp and clean. To the layman, this may not seem significant, but to those with a keener eye, it spoke of power and wealth.

Regular paper is most often produced through the use of utility magic, and is a highly valued commodity. This allows Magician's Guilds in many countries to have a steady income, since they are among the main producers and suppliers. Paper made from tier-0 magic is known to be crumpled, thick, and with some colors attached to it. Produced using 1st-tier magic, it's thinner and whiter, but this grade of paper does not produce much, and so the price commanded was high.

Paper made with 2nd-tier magic was very thin and very clean. Of course, the paper can also be colored to some extent. At this level, it can produce very soft paper often called "noble paper", which essentially becomes productive, although that alias had a double meaning. It was both the preferred type of paper used by nobles for their work, and was the type of paper from which toilet paper was based. More than a few crude jokes and innuendos to disparage nobles were born from this.

As Leol gazed at the paper envelope and the single sheet within, he could immediately tell that a higher-tiered method was used to produce it. Perhaps 3rd-tier? Maybe even higher than that? It did not matter, for as he read the contents of the single sheet, finely scripted in the Baharuth Empire's written language, his eyes widened in surprise.

It was an official document, recognizing Leol as a preferred merchant and trader within the Baharuth Empire. The word "preferred" can have a many connotations, depending on the country and the context. However, it most often denoted one who can freely trade without taxes, levies, and other secondary charges for doing business. If one had attained such a contract, given time it would become lucrative beyond measure.

The possibilities would have made Leol Furt Rymune's head spin, if he were the greedy sort who thought of coin alone. However, he was wiser than that, and knew that if he signed his name on this high-class parchment, there would be a corresponding price to pay. He softly laid the sheet face down as he interlaced his fingers, and once again gazed upon Ishmael's countenance.

Once again his expression was calm and unreadable. If he could glean anything, it was merely the patience that the affluent could possess. The kind where one knew they held the superior position. It is something Leol himself had known in the past, but now that he was on the opposite side, he found it to be quite confounding. He ruefully wondered if his past "conquests" felt the same, as he briefly smiled before speaking.

"You are truly an interesting man, Ishmael. What this document proposes is almost too good to be true. Yet I cannot help but wonder what you wish in exchange."

"What I wish is simple, Leol Furt Rymune. I desire information." Ishmael plainly stated.

"Information of what sort?" Leol asked as he perked a brow.

"Everything. The surrounding countries, their politics, their structures, hierarchies, their current events, and even their secrets should you come across them. And that includes the Baharuth Empire. The methods by which you collect this information is entirely up to you, so long as the harm of innocents is not included. Although, if you are to employ the use of outside agents like workers and/or adventurers, my people would need to properly vet them first." Ishmael stated firmly and plainly.

It did not take long for Leol to fully grasp the implications of what was being "asked" of him in this deal. He was essentially being scouted as a spy, and if his suspicions were correct, a spy for another country no less. Thinking about it logically, the reasons were clear to him. The Land of the Drake Riders was isolationist, and therefore would lack current information on other countries.

Thinking back to the coins that Ishmael had used in the purchase of that elf-girl, and how they were forgeries of older style coins, their position became readily apparent. If one of their citizens had been taken by the slave caravans that Rivka formally ran, as he began to suspect, then that gained the attention of a figurative, and possibly literal dragon. A cautious one that needed to know of the wider world it was stepping into, but without drawing too much negative attention to itself. One that may be powerful, but was also wise and shrewd.

The many long term merits and demerits to the situation Leol found himself in ran through his mind over and over. He still had a few contacts in Jircniv's Imperial Court, including an easy to manipulate fool named Count Femel that still had his uses. Those uses were the things that allowed his survival from the Emperor's purges, as well as his cowardly and opportunistic nature. Finding ways to use him as a scapegoat should things go awry would not be difficult for him.

Of course, that would be in the case of accepting Ishmael's offer that he, "could not possibly refuse." Then that begged the obvious question as Leol gazed upon the man...

 _'What would happen if I were to try to decline his offers?'_

For Leol, pulling out amateur questions like, "And if I refuse?", were best reserved for the serials he read as a young man. Not for a very real situation like this. However, even against his better judgement, something compelled him to do so anyways as he steeled his resolve, and spoke in a steady and firm tone.

"Hm. I see. So then, if I were to refuse your 'offers', would you say that I may receive a similar fate as to the late Rivka?"

At his query, Leol was surprise to see a mildly amused reaction wash over Ishmael's expression, as his tone then shifted to a more relaxed and casual one as he replied.

"I don't recall saying anything. I didn't say anything then, and I didn't say anything now. After all, you should be able to see the benefits outweigh whatever reservations you may have. Especially since turning it down would represent the loss of a great deal of immediate, and future opportunities."

"Hehe. Indeed. You make a compelling point, 'Ishmael'." Leol replied in a soft chuckle.

Lucille glanced in surprise as Leol continued to chuckle to himself. He was quite taken aback, and even found himself amused. He had to commend this "Ishmael", if that was really his name, at his approach and judgement. Instead of using the time-tested "carrot & stick" method to ensure his cooperation, he kept focus completely on the figurative "carrot" alone. This veiled the figurative "stick" from view, which was made all the more apparent by the lack of either a confirmation or denial to its existence.

 _'I cannot help but respect this man's cunning and skill in negotiation. He came here holding all of the cards, truly leaving me with no other choice but to agree. Hehehe. Somehow, this whole affair fills me with excitement. While I am still wary of this man and his intentions, my instincts tell me that going along with him is the correct course of action...'_

With his next course firmly set in mind, Leol smiled whimsically as he then proceeded to turn the document back over, and sign it with a nearby quill. Since the ink he used was lightly enchanted to ensure that it would dry quickly, he had no reservations in refolding it, and placing it back inside the envelope. Walter smoothly approached and took it back up, placing it inside his vest as he returned to Ishmael's side.

For his part, Ishmael seemed pleased, even if Leol still had difficulty getting a good read on him. Walter retrieved the small glass ashtray, and placed it in a pouch on his hip, all without spilling a single speck of cigarette ash. Leol was genuinely impressed with the butler's poise and skill, but could not take long to admire, as Ishmael's voice caught his attention as he calmly spoke with a friendly smile.

"I am glad that we could come to a mutually beneficial understanding, Messere Leol."

"Indeed. I am also pleased that we could come to an arrangement." Leol replied in a similar manner to Ishmael.

Ishmael simply nodded as he stood up, with Leol following suit, and the two men doing a light bow to each other, before Ishmael smoothly turned on his heel to leave.

"Don't worry over us. We'll show ourselves out."

"Oh, of course Ishmael. That is not a problem. However, before you depart, might I ask a question of you?" Leol said with a friendly, yet reserved tone.

In response, Ishmael turn back to Leol and gave him his full attention.

"Certainly. What's on your mind?" Ishmael said with a slightly more relaxed tone and posture.

While this subtle change took Leol off-guard slightly, he did not let it show as he moved on to his query.

"Yes, well... I was wondering what had happened to those that were employed in Rivka's compound. By my estimates there at least 36 persons that day, but they haven't been seen or heard from since her 'unfortunate' end." Leol said with a slight hint of sarcasm at the description of Rivka's fate.

There was a subtle break in Ishmael's "mask", as a light smirk escaped his lips, indicating his amusement at Leol's subtle joke. However, this only lasted for a second as his countenance returned to normal, and he calmly answered Leol's question.

"First, your count is slightly off, Messere. It was actually 37 personnel, with them broken down into 30 guards, 3 personal assassins, and 4 maids. Second, yours is a fair question given recent events. To answer it, they're all alive, and have been remanded into the custody of the Land of the Drake Riders. There they'll remain for the foreseeable future, and shall be treated with far more dignity and respect than Rivka had shown them. This should be satisfactory, should it not?"

On the outside, Leol acted as if all was perfectly normal, despite on the inside he was yet again surprised. However, it only took a few seconds before he seemed to reach his own conclusions, and then smiled in a cordial manner before replying in a matching tone.

"Yes, indeed. That should be perfectly fine, Ishmael. I hope we are able to maintain a cordial, and mutually beneficial relationship going forward."

"Hm. I as well, Leol..."

Just as "Ishmael" was going to say something else, Leol smoothly interrupted.

"Oh, one thing I need to say before you depart. If you are to continue doing 'business' in the Empire, then perhaps it would be best to ensure that your coin forgeries use more 'modern' coins, and be less 'perfect'." Leol stated with a hint of smugness to his voice. **(A/N: Ch.12.)**

For the first time since their meeting, Leol saw a small "break" in Ishmael's expression, as his brow twitched ever so slightly. This was enough to give Leol a fleeting feeling of satisfaction, since it was quite possibly the only thing during the course of their talks he had anything to hold over his "guest". Then a slight smirk crossed over Ishmael's lips as he replied in a calm, but slightly pleased tone.

"I thank you for your advice, Leol. Good day to you."

"And to you good sir."

Crisply turning on his heel, Ishmael walked towards the double-doors of Leol's office, and as he and his butler were on the cusp of walking into it, they both suddenly faded from view as if they were ghosts. This did not seem to perturb either Leol or Lucille, given the nature of their original entrance. Afterward, Leol himself sat down, and let out an exasperated sigh, feeling completely exhausted from the encounter.

"Hehe. It seems my spies were not as diligent as I had hoped..." Leol idly commented in a self-deprecating tone.

He leaned his head back as Lucille looked on in concern and worry. If she had to be perfectly honest, she too felt drained from this meeting. However, she felt as if there was something that she had missed as she looked at her master questioningly. Leol did not fail to notice this as he glanced over and chuckled at her reaction. As if he read her mind, he spoke in an understanding tone.

"You seem lost my dear. I assume that these events have left you confounded?"

"I... yes, master. I've been present to many of your meetings, and this one was not like most." She replied in a confused tone.

"Hm. I am not surprised. I too found myself confounded by many things regarding this man, Ishmael. Though I am now fairly certain that is not is real name."

"Agreed, master."

"Hehem. Good girl, Lucille. Whatever his name, this man is quite the enigma. Although it is apparent he is a shrewd one. If my instincts are correct, he kept those people both as sources of information, and as a way to keep any details regarding whatever methods used to raid Rivka's compound hidden. Since that she-bastard was known for treating her people poorly, they will feel indebted to him, and would be more than willing to cooperate. Including those few whom were spying on her for me. Hehe."

Leol finished saying his peace in a whimsical manner, as he chuckled again at the irony of it all. It was probably those spies, in conjunction with whatever records that were seized in Rivka's estate that pointed "Ishmael" in his direction. Lucille seemed to glare with anger, having similar thoughts, before Leol then spoke calmly to her with a pleased smile.

"Be at ease, dear girl. There is no reason to be angry at them. After all, they had been spying on Rivka at risk to themselves for sometime, but with little to show for it. It is only natural that they would side with someone that had produced results. Someone who could have access to say, the 3rd-tier [Dimensional Move] and 5th-tier [Teleportation] spells for example."

His words seemed to take the fire out of Lucille's eyes, and was replaced with shock and worry. Both of those spells would allow for one to disappear and reappear at varying distances. The 3rd-tier [Dimensional Move] spell can allow a caster to quickly move from one location to another over short distances. While it was typically used as a method of escape, using it for infiltration was plausible. The weakness to this was the fact that it could normally be used only by the caster, and could not be cast on another.

The 5th-tier [Teleportation] spell was far superior however, as it could be cast on someone else, and had a much longer range. She knew all of this thanks to her master having magic casters in his employ who studied such things, and made it a point to educate himself on such matters, as well as having her educated. However, both those spells required talented individuals to use, or powerful magical items. Both of which were not easy to come by.

"It seems you understand, my dear. Oh... Truly. It seems that foolish woman is still the source of trouble, even in death. Though I suspect it can be a boon in disguise, if we tread carefully. I suspect that this 'Ishmael' acts as an agent of that drake rider country, and presented me with these offers to not only secure retribution for the capture of any of its citizens, but to altruistically ensure others are spared the same fate. Hence his actions at the slave auction and now. Due to their isolationist nature, it also explains the forged older coins that he used."

"Oh. I see now, master. They will buy the slaves, whether they are from their country or not, and they turn around and free them." Lucille said in a moment of enlightenment.

"If my supposition is correct, then yes. They avoid conflict with another country, and in return gain grateful new citizens whom are willing to do almost anything for them. Only reason he agreed to my continued sale of slaves in the Empire is to ensure my agreeing to his terms. Even if there were some conditions attached, give and take, and making compromises are all part of any negotiation process. This man showed himself quite knowledgeable in these regards, even if he found such things distasteful. Shrewd, practical, and prepared to make such decisions. Along with everything else, he made sure I had no choice but to agree. Hehehe. An 'offer I can't refuse', indeed..."

Leol let out a self-deprecating chuckle as he ran his fingers through his maroon colored hair. He would continue to go over his thoughts with Lucille, as she was his one true confidant, and the most loyal out of all those that worked for him. Although he still felt a tinge of unease, he also felt oddly positive about this situation as well. Despite being at the disadvantage, he took comfort in knowing that this "Ishmael" was no fool, and that in itself held a certain appeal to him...

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 1st-Floor, Entrance Corridor**

Walter and Gabriel walked down a moderately lit hallway, hearing the thunderous telltale sounds of the Keep's front gates closing as Golem Knights dutifully stood guard. After leaving Leol's estate, they were brought back via the [Gate] spell, and since it held no limitations on distance in this new world, traveling hundreds of miles in a single step was but a simple matter. As they walked they appeared to be carrying on a conversation well before they entered, which seemed to be reaching its conclusion.

"... And that's how I think that he'd react to this situation." Gabriel analytically stated.

"Indeed. I concur, sir."

Gabriel simply nodded in satisfaction at he and Walter being in agreement. What they had been discussing was recent events with the meeting with Leol. In particular, Leol's reactions, thought processes, and conclusions that he would have made during the course of the meeting. Nearly all of which they had accurately guessed, which made Walter chuckle in a reserved manner.

"As expected, sir. That man really was dancing within the palm of your hand."

"Perhaps. Although the chances of an upset were always there, even if small. However, in my experience, the more intelligent and logical a person is, the larger the possibility of them coming to their own conclusions, when given enough information. So much so, that with time they will naturally adopt certain biases, which then allows one to take advantage, and accurately predict their actions before talks even begin." Gabriel stated in a neutral tone.

"Quite, sir. After all, predicting the thoughts and actions of reasonably intelligent being is rather simple, when compared to that of a complete fool." Walter said with amusement.

"Hehe. Yes, you're right about that." Gabriel replied with an amused smirk, before his expression turned more neutral and he continued.

"Although we won't try to topple the slave trade, we can still subtly influence it from the shadows, and at the same free as many as we can. With our quiet support, the Land of the Drake Riders should have no issues in helping those people, and in turn those same people can help that country's recovery from Bwynleah's reign."

"Indeed, sir. After all, their population and manpower saw a steep decline because of that creature's rule, and it also aids us in gathering more intelligence about this world." Walter added.

"That's right. Dangling some bait in front of Leol, and letting his own preconceptions do the work for us, he will now collect all the information we need on this new world. Despite the complications, these turn of events should put our information gathering efforts ahead of schedule, and help some people along the way." Gabriel concluded in a calm, albeit pleased tone. Then he chuckled as he remembered something.

"Also Walter, be sure to have our people go over the coins seized from Rivka's estate and the ones used in the forgeries. I have a feeling Leol did us a favor in figuring that out. It was a pleasant surprise to be honest."

"Of course, sir. It shall be done. So if I may ask, what are your plans next? Shall you return to that elf-girl you saved?"

"No, not right now. She's resting comfortably in that inn via sleeping magic, and under the watch of Tamura's summons, so I know she's safe. The Head Doctor wishes to discuss something with me. Since I'm already here, I'll see what see needs, and then head back."

"Very good, sir."

"That actually reminds me. How are the prisoners?" Gabriel casually asks.

"Oh, they are doing quite well, sir. They are continuing to be extremely cooperative without any form of coercion. They have even expressed a desire to work for you. The assassins included."

Gabriel perked a brow at this as he turned to look upon Walter for a moment, but then simply nodded in understanding as they continued onward. Though coercion was not being used on them, he knew of ways to ensure what they were saying was truthful or not. Such as using the 2nd-tier divine-type spell, [Zone of Truth]. It compels those within its influence to speak the truth, unless they have items or other defenses against mental status effects. This lot did not have such means, so their words were truthful.

"Huh. It seems that not a single person under her employ had a speck of loyalty towards that... filth." Gabriel stated with a tinge of anger in his subtly growling voice.

At this, the response was a muffled chuckle as the gentlemanly commander tried to stifle it with his left hand. Gabriel turned his head and perked a brow at this as he spoke.

"Something amusing, Walter?"

"Oh! Pardon me, sir. It is just... Ahem... Lady Alisha often spoke of how, in her own words, 'uncreative' your expletives and insults can be when you are angry or flustered. It seems that he she did not exaggerate." Walter said with a reserved, yet playful smirk.

Gabriel had a deadpanned expression wash over his countenance for a moment, before he whimsically smiled and lightly chuckled, and then turned back to continue walking. A few seconds later he spoke in a somewhat nostalgic tone.

"Hm... Yes, you are correct about that Walter. Alisha was always amused to no end in how I was a great singer, but when it came being an orator for creative speaking, or heavens forbid giving speeches, not so much. In the heat of the moment, even less so. Something that she would not fail to tease me over. Hehe."

Warmth bathed the inside of Gabriel's chest as fond memories of Alisha's teasings came rising up to the surface, and a feeling of happy nostalgia filled him, as well as an ever growing sense of appreciation for what Walter had just done.

"I know you did that on purpose, Walter. Thank you."

"Of course, sir. Although I will add that the Lady also mentioned that despite that shortcoming, you were compelling because you spoke from the heart." Walter added with a warm smile.

"Hehe. Yes, that does sound like her alright." Gabriel said with a wistful tone, before then Walter spoke up again.

"Well sir, shall we see you to the Head Doctor's officer?"

"Hm. Indeed." Gabriel said with a light smile.

With that, both Gabriel and Walter disappeared in flashes of blue light as they mutually activated the powers of their [Guild-Rings].

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Sanctuary of Ianuaria  
-2 hrs Later-**

Lifting himself off an examination table, a naked Gabriel moved to dress himself after he had been examined for the last 2 hours by Head Doctor Althia Tanos. His scarred, muscular form glistened under the soft light as he approached a neatly folded pile of clothes. Sitting in a chair in a nearby corner, watching Gabriel's movements with a sly, almost seductive expression, was the figure of a woman that was tapping on a [Crystal Tablet], seemingly taking some notes.

The first thing to immediately notice was her red-colored irises, sky-blue skin, and a slender tail of the same color of her skin that lazily swayed to and fro. She had black colored hair in a messy bob-cut with blunt bangs, yet with a silky-smooth body that glistened in the soft bluish-white light of the room. Her alluring smile was accentuated by a glossy, fuscia colored lipstick that seemed to draw attention to her lips.

Her fingernails were expertly groomed and shaped, and sported a fine red coloring that made it difficult to ascertain whether or not it was nail-polish, or if that was its natural color. Jutting out both sides of her head were curved, vanilla colored horns that shined with a near mirror-like spit-shine polish.

Her attire consisted of a typical white lab-coat that seemed to contour to the shape of her extremely feminine figure. It was worn over a short black dress that had a series of buttons on its right side starting at the top, and led all the way down. The dress itself stopped just short of her knees as she seductively crossed her athletic legs. In addition, she wore a red grommet belt around the waist that had three small gray pouches.

A black studded choker connected to multiple silver necklaces, with a main one that rested atop her shapely, mid-sized bust, which was further heightened by how tight the top of her dress was. The jewel of her main necklace itself seemed to softly hum with a white light as she continued to use her tablet, and steal glaces at Gabriel's bare form. The final part of her attire was that of black knee-high, platform high heel boots.

This was the Head Nurse of the 8th-Floor's Sanctuary of Ianuaria, Tiresia. She was a direct subordinate of the Head Doctor, and a good-aligned lvl-65 Demoness/Succubus. She coordinated the other nurses for the Head Doctor if she was indisposed, and would also assist the Head Doctor in some matters when needed.

In this case, it was Gabriel's latest examination, which explained why Gabriel did not seem to mind her presence, despite her clearly leering at him. Leering that came to an abrupt end when a chiming sound rang forth from her tablet. Her countenance then switched to a focused and serious one as she read the message that came through, and she then crisply and smoothly stood up. She then spoke in a soft, coquettish tone of voice that carried with it a soothing timbre that seemed to nullify pain and discomfort.

"Excuse me my lord.~ The Head Doctor requests to see you in her office whenever you are ready.~"

By that time Gabriel had finished getting dressed in the same traveling attire he wore on the outside, and then turned to face the now smiling beauty in front of him. He gave her a nod as his expression remained stoic, and he spoke in a firm, authoritarian tone.

"Thank you for your assistance, Tiresia. I'll be there shortly. You're dismissed."

"Of course, my lord.~ We are all here to serve. Your every... desire.~" The demoness replied with a bow, and a soft, alluring tone of voice.

She then turned on her heel, and slowly walked out of the room in a seductive manner as her hips and tail sashayed from side to side. Gabriel for his part seemed unfazed as he then slowly walked out to go to the Head Doctor's office. It did not take long for him to reach the door to her office as he casually strode forth into her office, and smoothly took a seat in front of her desk.

Much like the rest of the Sanctuary, her office was a mix of modern and fantasy elements as shining crystals mounted on the ceiling provided a warm bluish-white light, and green potted plants in the corners of the room provided a clean, crisp aroma to the air. The very environment was meant to put a person in a sort of comfortable ease, no matter what their situation.

Just then the angelic Head Doctor entered the office through another door to the side, and gave her master Gabriel a deep, reverential bow. Gabriel nodded and instructed her to be at ease, to which she complied and promptly took a seat at her desk before then speaking in a light, respectful tone.

"Thank you for coming today, my lord."

"It's no problem, Althia. I know that you wouldn't call upon me without reason."

"Oh, of course Lord Gabriel! I would never wish to waste your time." The angel stated emphatically.

"It's alright, Althia. I would always make time for one of my friend's creations, regardless of reason." Gabriel said with a soft, gentle tone and a warm smile.

At this the angelic doctor blushed profusely, with her pure white wings twitching excitedly before she calmed down, and recomposed herself in a more professional manner.

"Thank you very much, my lord. Truly. Now then, before we begin, were Tiresia's abilities effective in easing your pain?" The angelic doctor asked expectantly.

"Yes, they were. Although I'm finding myself able to better compensate and adapt to the pain as time passes." **(A/N: Ch.9, Gabriel's last "check-up".)**

"Ooooh~! That is wonderful to hear, my lord! Still, we are here to serve, should you need further 'help' in relief. As I understand it, nurses Addison-Rei and Mina have been successful in that regard. A few times in fact." Althia said with a mischievous grin.

"Heh. Yes, I suppose they were." Gabriel replied with a soft chuckle as he recalled the incidents she spoke of.

Of course, Gabriel could also see in Althia's expression, and the subtext of her words, that she also wanted to "help" him in this capacity. As intrigued as he was about the idea, he was more disciplined than that, and there were other issues at hand that needed his attention. He waved off such thoughts as he prepared to speak, but just then a voice echoed from within the depths of his subconscious with a rumbling growl and a hint of disapproval in its tone.

 _"/Still finding ways at denying yourself, even when it is rightfully yours, and freely given? Hmph! Such a stubborn young man you are.../"_

The voice of Gabriel's inner dragon quietly subsided as he continued on as if nothing was amiss.

"Before we begin doctor, I am curious to know if Tiresia has been 'behaving' herself."

Althia tilted her head slightly to the left for a moment, as the question seemed to puzzle her. Then her eyes widened with an "Oh!", as understanding flashed in her mind, and she giggled as if the query were a humorous one.

"Oh, there is no need to worry, my lord. I can assure you that Head Nurse Tiresia is quite disciplined in _that_ regard, and she is quite dedicated to her work, first and foremost." Althia said with pride and amusement in her voice.

Nodding in approval, Gabriel pondered on the topic to himself for a moment...

 _'That'll probably remain the case, given what I remember of her lore. Felix and Peroroncino shared a few similar "tastes" in Japanese "alternative" porn tropes. If his "artistic expression" and role-play quirks hold true, then Tiresia wouldn't be an ordinary female demon. Oh, Felix. You're not even here and you're still causing me headaches...'_

Gabriel sighed in a fatigued manner as he propped up his head with his left elbow then resting on his seat's armrest. He then gave the angelic doctor his full attention as he spoke.

"So then doctor, what prompted you to request my presence for another examination?"

At his query the angelic doctor's expression turned unusually serious as her line-of-sight went to the tablet on her desk. She interlaced her fingers as she rested her elbows on her desk and spoke in an equally serious tone of voice, as her light sky-blue eyes met Gabriel's emerald colored ones.

"As you know already my lord, while the powers of the [Blood Magic] coursing through your veins is inherently incompatible with the powers of your armor that has become one with you, there still exists some strange interplay between them, granting you more dragonic traits. Over time I came to think this odd, and I extensively studied the data we collected up until now. A somewhat... disturbing theory took form as I went over the data, but I needed to be 100% sure before I shared this with you..."

Althia's voice trailed off as she tone became more sullen and forlorn.

"My lord, I-I greatly apologize for this, but I'm the bearer of unpleasant news. From what I have been able to determine, the powers of your armor is simply too strong for your being to handle alone, even as a [Methuselah]. If it were not for the [Blood Magic] you inherited from Lady Alisha, I'm confident that over time, the armor would threaten to overwhelm your system and overtake you. It is my belief that the armor's strong bond with you is the reason why you have taken on more dragonic traits, which is barely held in check by the [Blood Magic] in your system. From now on you must be careful not to exhaust it or to lose it. If that were to happen, I am certain that you would lose your humanity, and the armor would transform you into a dragon. What effects this could have on you emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, I cannot say. In all likelihood, you could very well lose yourself..."

Althia's voice, which was beginning to shake, could be described as grief-stricken as it trailed off and she lowered her head. The conflict this created within her as a doctor and healer was not something others could readily understand. She was created to soothe pain, cure ailments, and even stave off death itself for her patients. This however was something that was beyond her ability to help, and she could not bear it. She could not even bring herself to say it. Especially when it involved the potential fate of her master.

Gabriel is, for all intents and purposes, the last of the High Lords of Dracon's Keep. She would devote EVERYTHING to him, and yet for all her strength, intelligence, powers, and resources, she felt utterly useless to him in this situation. The fates were fickle, and she knew it as one of the angel race. Their beloved master could potentially be lost to them if things turned poorly. Just as these thoughts threatened to overwhelm her, she felt herself in the warm embrace of her master.

"M-My lord?!" She yelped in surprise.

It seems that while she was lost in her thoughts and her consternation, Gabriel had quietly and smoothly moved from his position to hers. As her blushing face looked up to her master, she saw a kind, understanding expression as his emerald aura enveloped her and bathed her in warmth and comfort. It nearly drowned out her sadness and unease, as he then spoke in a calm, reassuring tone.

"Althia, it's alright. I'm still here, and I am not going anywhere. I can understand your fears and worries. You feel like there's nothing you can do, you feel useless, and most of all you are afraid of what would become of me. Well, don't be. I'm not so weak or foolish that I would allow something like that to happen. Trust me."

It was so little, and yet those few comforting words seemed to dispel the gloom that weighed on her heart as Althia nodded and smiled in relief. Perhaps it was the influence of his aura seeping into her mind, body, and soul, but she felt completely at ease and reassured.

It was like she could feel her master's feelings emotions like they were her own, and as an angel, she was already particularly sensitive to the feelings of others. So this new experience made it all the more potent. Especially when his closeness made her realize that a different kind of warmth was building up in her midsection as her wings twitched excitedly.

Gabriel smiled, and then slowly released his grip on her, as well as the effect his aura exuded. A feeling of disappointment washed over Althia as Gabriel pulled away both his embrace, as well as the "influence" of his aura. It was warm and comforting, but it was also strangely magnetic. It drew her in like a moth to flame, and this fascinated her a great deal. Before she could inquire further on the topic, Gabriel spoke in a neutral tone.

"So, I trust that puts your worries to rest?"

"Um, I... Yes, my lord. Thank you." Althia said with gratitude and a head bow.

"No, no. Thank you for your diligence and your service, Althia. I am always grateful for it. Now then, I must depart. Keep me informed of anything else that may come up. I'll be returning to the outside now."

"O-Of course! By your command, my lord!"

With that reply, Gabriel gave her one last comforting smile. He worried over her reaction to the news she shared with him, once he saw it affected her. He very well knew just how highly the NPCs of the Keep viewed him, and after his attempted suicide when they first arrived in this new world, he knew he had to be careful with how he handled them. **(A/N: Last portion of CH.2)**

Therefore he used the time-honored method of the gentle and comforting embrace, along with a few choice words to set her at ease. This was enhanced by the new abilities that he discovered he possessed, and first used during his first meeting with his floor guardians. **(A/N: CH.8)** This was his an application of what he called [Soul Presence] and [Emerald Blessings].

With the first he can project his power, will, and even his emotions onto specific people, a general area, or both. With the second he can safely disperse and distribute an aura of his emerald flames onto people and their surround areas as a means of granting them a measure of protection, comfort, and warmth. This can allow him to subtly influence others, just as he had done with Althia, and recently with the girls he had saved.

He also understood her concerns about him losing his humanity, and transforming into something drastically different. The lore of YGGDRASIL had plenty of examples where a such a thing had changed someone negatively. One such example that quickly came to mind was when the [World Champion] of Muspelheim found an item that turned him into a [World Class Enemy], and one of the Lords of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Even if it was just a game, the entire attitude and persona of the Player in question changed for the worst. He became drunk on the new power he had obtained, and led the NPCs that comprised the rest of that group of WCEs on a campaign to wreak havoc across YGGDRASIL. Of course the "shitty devs" stood back, and more or less told Players on the servers to "deal with it", because it was just another event to them.

So his guild of the Dragon's Inquisition, along with his friends from Avalon, led the charge against the Player turned [World Class Enemy], while an alliance of ten other guilds and clans took the others down. One of the other guilds reaped the benefits to their combined efforts in the form of a [World Class Item] that had been dropped by the last fallen WCE.

Although there was a great deal celebration for taking care of this event through the cooperation of many disparate groups, it was not all good news. There was a growing resentment towards the Guild of Ainz Ooal Gown, who largely abstained from taking part in the "mini-crisis" of free-roaming WCEs that went unchecked. He remembered it as one of the few times he did not hold back on his true capabilities within the game. As for the Player in question, his avatar and account was permanently deleted upon his defeat. No one knew what became of him after that.

Knowing how thorough his friends were, Gabriel was reasonably sure that Althia knew all of this, and feared a similar fate for him. Not that he found her concerns to be completely unwarranted. He had seen real examples of good, decent people drastically changing upon a transformation into a vampire or werewolf, and had the unfortunate task of putting them down if they were too far gone.

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel dispelled such thoughts as he readied himself to leave. Once he made sure that Althia was calm and convinced, he then used the power of his [Guild-Ring] to disappear in a flash of blue light. For a moment Althia sat still in her seat, pondering everything that had happened. She then picked up the [Crystal Tablet] on her desk, and opened a new file in which she typed a new directory that read, "Next Test Phase for Lord Gabriel: Aura Capabilities"...

* * *

 **Silver Sparrow Inn, RM-28**

The elf-girl Miera rose from the bed with a decidedly loud and unladylike yawn as she stretched out her limbs. The long locks of her blonde hair were a tangled mess as Miera lazily wiped her eyes and looked around the room. It was faintly lit by a crack in the window curtains that allowed only a fraction of the bright afternoon sun in.

Scanning the room, her hazy vision picked up on a well organized pile of clothes that she had recognized as belonging to her savior and benefactor, Ishmael. Wiping her eyes once more, this brought clarity to her vision, and then she wondered aloud...

"I-Ishmael? Where are you?"

As if in reply to her query, the door to the room unlocked and opened, and walking in with a tray in hand was "Ishmael" himself. A bright, blushing smile washed over her face as Miera saw him bathed with the dim rays of the afternoon sun. He wore simple brown clothes that consisted of a long-sleeve shirt, pants, and leather boots. However, with his muscular physique, he filled out such simple garments quite well.

He smiled warmly at her, furthering her blushing as he smoothly walked over to her with tray in hand. The aromas of a warm stew in a porcelain bowl, freshly baked bread, and a chilled glass of milk wafted through the air and into her nostrils, prompting her appetite to be awakened. He then spoke in a kind tone of voice as he sat in a chair next to her.

"Hello there, sleepy head. Rest well?"

"Eh? Oh! I-I guess so. What time is it?"

"It's around 4 in the afternoon now." He nonchalantly replied.

"Eh... Huh?!" Miera loudly exclaimed in shock.

Her shocked expression was met with an amused chuckle as he then spoke in a matching tone.

"Hehe. For such a beautiful young lady, you can be quite the tomboy."

"Eh? I-I... But... How did I sleep so long?" Miera asked, blushing and flustered by the situation, and embarrassment at his words.

"I didn't consider it unusual, given what you have been through. But nevermind that for now. I have your meal for you." He said as he laid the tray on her lap.

"Uhm... But... I... Okay." Miera said as her embarrassment at her display, and the scent of her meal, banished thoughts of questioning it further.

Thus she dug into her meal as "Ishmael" watched with a warm expression. The stew was of simple fare, with meat that was an equivalent to beef, potatoes, and vegetables with bits of cheese for good measure. The fresh-from-the-oven bread had a light coating of butter that complimented the stew nicely, and the chilled milk rounded out the meal with a smooth taste that made Miera let out an "Aaaaaah~", as she finished drinking it.

 _'She has a healthy appetite. Not surprising for an elf in her 120s.'_ Gabriel casually thought.

He couldn't help but chuckle at the display as he took the tray up and set it aside on a nearby table. Meanwhile, Miera turned and sat on the edge of the bed as she stretched in a content manner, as her white nighty clung tightly to her slim, feminine body. While she would normally be self-conscious about her attractive figure, in Ishmael's presence she was completely at ease. Casual even.

Then as he turned to face her, she noticed that he had a stern and serious expression on his face. She immediately took this as a sign that he had something important to say, as she remained silent. He took the same seat and sat in front of her as he spoke.

"Miera, as you already know, those girls that you wished to be saved are now well away from their former fates, and are being cared for..." He paused as he let his words sink in.

He informed her the previous evening as to what happened to the girls, while keeping the details to a bare minimum. The news came much to her shock, and then her elated joy, as she even tackled hugged him at the news. She didn't ask for the details, but in the end it did not matter. She had the happiest dinner she had in recent memory with the knowledge he efforts were not in vain. Especially since she _knew_ on some instinctive level that his words were the truth. Now she just wondered where this was going now.

"Still, as a result, I will have to leave this city sooner than intended. Which brings me to my next question. It's well within my means to help you find a place to live, so do you wish for me to do that, or would you like to accompany me as I travel?"

"..."

Miera was honestly stunned at his statement. It was so sudden and direct that she was not prepared for it, although she could understand what he was trying to say. Whatever he did to free those girls must have gotten all sorts of things stirred up. That was the logic she was leaning towards, so leaving sooner rather than later would be a must.

Then came the next obvious issue: her. He had told her that as far as he was concerned, she was free to do as she wished. A part of her wanted to return to her home country, but she knew that would not be possible. Her home village was gone, her mother was missing, and the war in the Elf Country would continue to get worse. So Ishmael had the right of it and presented her with the only two options available.

Miera weighed them in her mind as she lowered her head in deep thought. The fact that he could find a place for her to live that was safe for her was impressive in of itself. Even though she still could not fully understand why, she had come to trust him, so there was no doubt in her mind that he could find a place for her to settle down into a life that she could live of her own accord.

As appealing as that was, she found that she wanted something else. To spend time with this human that had saved her in every sense of the word, "save". Leaving his side did not feel like the right decision. Not when she had made a connection with him that felt as if she was in the presence of not just a friend or confidant, but family. Since she was given the choice to follow him, she would take it. With that determination in mind, she clenched the hems of her nightgown, and looked directly in his eyes as she spoke...

"I... I wish to travel with you. Allow me to go with you, Adatani'i." She said resolutely.

There was no response for a moment as Miera looked upon her savior's face, but then he smiled and perked a brow as he spoke in an inquisitive manner.

"Adatani'i?"

In almost an instant, Miera's face lit up in a scarlet red color in embarrassment as she stammered out her reply.

"Ah! I-I... Um... That is... I'm sorry! T-That's... an ancient elven title. Yes! I-It's kind of... it loosely means, 'honorable one'. Ahem!"

He tilted his head slightly to the left as he asked a question.

"So that's ancient elven? Strange that I could not understand you."

"Ah, yes! Um... The way it was explained to me by out elders, is that some ancient tongues, like our ancient elven, does not adhere to the natural laws of our world where the more common tongues are automatically understood." Miera nervously replied.

"Is that so? Hm. Interesting. Did they ever tell you why this was?"

"O-Oh, well they weren't really sure. Some believed it's because the language is one that's spoken from the heart, and not just the mind. A few other elders told me they had a suspicion it's because it's so ancient, and not so widely used, and that magic that allows people to understand each other doesn't have a chance to adapt to it. Or maybe it's too complex for it. I-I'm sorry. The truth is no one really knows why." Miera finishing saying with her head hung low in embarrassment.

"Hmm... Or perhaps it's all of the above..." Ishmael said in a contemplative tone, which surprised Miera with just how interested he seemed to be in the subject.

"Tell me Miera, other than ancient and modern elf-speak, are there any other spoken and written languages that you know?"

"O-Oh, of course! I am familiar with the languages used by the Slane Theocracy, this Empire, and even a few dwarven dialects. I learn new languages relatively quickly." Miera said quickly and proudly.

"Oh? How quickly?"

"Um... That depends. If it's really complex, it might be a month, but with some of the 'simpler' tongues, it normally takes me a week. I-It's nothing really impressive." Miera said with a hint of embarrassment in her voice.

The response she was greeted with was an amused chuckle, which confused her for a moment before he spoke in a matching tone, and warmly patted her on the head a few times with his right hand.

"Ah, you're so adorable."

"E-Eh?... Um... W-What do you mean?" She said in a flustered state.

"Young lady, you have no idea how gifted you are. Most people take at minimum a year to learn an entirely new language, in any form. And that's if they're lucky, and diligent in their studies. Some can take longer, and others can't do it at all. You should take even more pride in that ability of yours."

"O-Oh. Thank you! Hehe. Um. Ishmael, if I may ask, do you know how long it would take you to learn a new language?" She asked in curiosity.

"Heheha. I fall under the year or more category. And that's if I'm lucky." He replied in a whimsical manner.

"Ah, I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to..." Miera tried to hurriedly apologize, before "Ishmael" chuckled, and gently rubbed her the top of her head with his right hand.

"Like I said, you're adorable. Now relax Miera. Everyone is naturally good at some things, and often better than others. That's nothing to apologize for, that's just life. No one person can be the best at everything. Even if they'd like to."

Miera seemed to understand his meaning and relaxed at his words, and his warm head pats seemed to dispel any of her anxiety. So much so that when he withdrew his hand she felt a pang of disappointment, before his calm voice chimed in once more.

"Now then, what other aptitudes or skills do you have?"

"Um... Well, I-I have a very good memory. I can remember the contents of nearly any book I've read. And I can use nearly any magic item of the arcane school of magic. I'm... not a true magic caster, but I have an affinity for magic." Miera said with a hint of worry and hesitation in her voice.

It did not take long for Gabriel to figure out why she acted that way, and sought to allay her fears as he smiled gentle.

"At ease, Miera. To be clear, I'm not asking these questions as a way to decide whether or not to take you with me. You've given me your answer, so of course I'll take you with me. It's just important for traveling companions to know what they are capable of."

"O-Oh! I'm sorry." She replied in embarrassment.

"That's fine. Now then, you said that you can use magic items, but you are not a 'true' magic caster. Can you elaborate?"

"U-Um... Well, I am only able to use Tier-0 magic..." Miera said with a measure of dejection in her voice as she finished.

Of course, she did not need to elaborate. Thanks to the information that his NPCs had gathered, Gabriel was well aware of what she meant. The "0-Tier", was something that was exclusive to this new world, and did not exist in YGGDRASIL. It was mostly used for the classification of people possessing very little ability and/or talent in magic, as well as those inexperienced people who had yet to master the 1st-tier. In other words, those at a level similar to apprentices and students.

The tier-0 level was regarded the same as magic tricks or slight of hand sort of things, and one at this level certainly could not be called a "true" magic caster. It can meet the needs for simple tasks in life, and other utilitarian purposes. However, the one benefit at being at this level, was the ability to use certain types of magic items. In Miera's case, she could use items made through the arcane school of magic. That is what she meant in having an "affinity" with magic.

Realizing all of this, Gabriel in his "Ishmael" persona came to a decision as he walked over to the footlocker on the end of the bed. Miera silently watched expectantly as she wondered what her benefactor was up to. Using the open footlocker as a means to obscure her vision, Gabriel reached into the pocket dimension of his [Inventory], and pulled out a wooden, flat, rectangular box nearly 10 inches (25.4cm) long.

Once he retrieved the box, he sat back down in front of Miera, who at this point was practically beaming with curiosity. Before she could voice this curiosity, "Ishmael" spoke in a calm, almost teacherly tone.

"Since you will be traveling with me, I think having the means of defending yourself when needed would be prudent."

Just as he was finished saying his peace, he lifted the top of the container, revealing ten intricately crafted rings, each with different colors and designs. Miera was mesmerized and awed at the sight. Never in her life had she seen such finery, and if her senses held true, each ring was a magic item. This unconsciously made the points of her ears twitch and wiggle in response. Seemingly picking up on this, Ishmael resumed speaking.

"As you can tell, each of these rings is a magic item, called a [Ring of Magicbound]. They were made to allow a non-magic caster the ability to use the single spell sealed within once a day. Each ring contains a different spell, as you can tell from the labels."

Indeed, Miera saw labels above each ring engraved on the wood, and recognized a few of the named spells. She simply didn't notice at first due to being so captivated with the rings themselves. They engravings were in the Empire's script, which she could read without issue. Before she could go through each one however, her benefactor, and soon to be traveling companion, closed the lid to the container, and handed it to her.

"Eh? Um, Ishmael? Why are you giving me such valuable items?" Miera rightly asked in a confused tone, as she held the container as if it were a fragile and precious object.

"Because... they are now yours."

"..."

Miera sat completely dumbfounded as she stared blankly at "Ishmael". Although his tone was calm and neutral, Miera detected not a hint of jest in his mannerisms or his words. After about a minute or so, her next reaction was quite understandable...

"Uh... WHAT?! ..."

Her shock overwhelmed any sense of propriety as her voice echoed throughout the room, and quite possibly into the hallway beyond. Her savior had an amused smirk, indicating that he had been expecting this particular outcome. Then in a relaxed tone he spoke up...

"There's no need to shout, Miera. I'm right here."

"Eh? Ah! Um... I-I'm sorry, b-but why? These are expensive magic items. Why entrust them to me?"

"As I said, you need the means to defend yourself, and I have a feeling that those items would be a perfect fit for you. I also feel that you will put these items to good use." He said reassuringly.

"Are... are you sure? G-Giving these to me?" Miera asked, as her voice wavered in the flood of emotions she was now experiencing.

In such a short time, not only had she developed a trust and connection with her savior, but it seemed that the same was true for him. This revelation brought on by his gesture of entrusting her with such items made her feel a complex blend of emotions that made her almost breakdown into tears of joy. But she held those in, feeling she'd already shown too much of her unbecoming sides, and wanted to validate the trust given her.

"Yes, I am sure Miera. I trust you, and from here on out, a new and better chapter to your life will begin. That, I promise." He said sincerely with a warm smile.

Without hesitation or preamble, Miera set aside the box on the bed, got up, and hugged "Ishmael" with all her might, who returned it in kind with his own warm embrace. His powerful arms were like veritable fortress that would protect her from any harm, as well as a warm campfire in a darkened forest. The feelings of safety and comfort were unmatched in her memory as she spoke in a voice filled with elation and relief.

"Thank you, Adatani'i! Thank you!"

At her heartfelt thanks, Gabriel simply smiled, gently stroked her hair with his left hand, and softly kissed her on the left cheek. An action that immediately made her skin heat up and turn into a scarlet color. It was an almost fatherly peck on the cheek, but it was enough to solidify in Miera's mind that her benefactor was not going anywhere for the time being. After a few minutes, their embrace loosened, and Miera sat back down onto the bed as Gabriel gently spoke.

"Now, now. Conserve your energy. We'll be leaving first thing in the morning, but in the meantime, while you get dressed I'll be taking this tray back. We'll be going around a few stalls in the market to buy some supplies after you finish. Alright?"

"Y-Yes! Right away Adatani'i!" She replied enthusiastically.

After her acknowledgement, Gabriel picked up the tray and proceeded to leave the room while Miera was abuzz with energy. She flung her nightgown off before he even left the room, causing him to smirk and shake his head at her thoughtless antics. He closed the door behind him, still with an amused grin at how she was acting like a teenage girl exited to be going somewhere exciting.

With tray in hand he walked down the hallway, and began to think to reflect to himself everything that had happened...

 _'Well, she is a strong girl, and her progress is better than I could've hoped for. Although her imprinting on me as a father-figure was still a bit unexpected. "Adatani'i", huh? She didn't even realize it when she called me "father" in ancient elven, did she? Heh...'_

When Gabriel had created his avatar in the game of YGGDRASIL, one thing he added to his flavor text, at the behest of a close friend, was that he'd be fluent in ancient elven. He was never much of a role-player as his wife or friends, due to being forced to "act" throughout his long life, moving from one life to the next, and one alias to the next.

Still, at the time he thought, "Oh, why not?" He never imagined that a few simple lines of flavor text added to his avatar's profile would have become so useful. In hindsight, he was now wishing he had added a few more things before coming to this new world.

"Well, no sense dwelling on 'might have beens'." He matter-of-factly said to himself as he continued walking down the hall to his destination...

* * *

 **City of Kesavine, Silver Sparrow Inn, Lounge/Bar  
-Morning, the following day-**

A subdued murmur filled the area of the lounge as men and women of various vocations and classes traded small talk over breakfast and morning drinks. Some were of various types of juices, milk, or the telltale aromas of different flavored types of coffee. Sitting at the front bar-like area was Gabriel in his traveling attire, leisurely drinking a hot, green colored beverage that steamed in its porcelain mug.

He had his hood down, drawing quite a few admiring glances here and there from other patrons about. Mostly of the female variety, with the occasional male stealing an admiring or jealous glance. Thanks to the mirror behind the counter, Gabriel did not fail to maintain an awareness of his surroundings as he continued to enjoy his beverage.

It was during this he perked a brow at a trio of newcomers that entered the lobby area from the front entrance. The first two were a pair of Platinum-ranked adventurers, one male and one female. They were trading idle banter and small talk, while the third was a hooded figure that was seemingly ignored by them. In fact, wherever this figure went, it seemed no one picked up on its presence.

Diverting his attention away from this, he refocused on his steaming drink, taking small sips as he appeared to ignore the hooded figure as well. Said figure then walked towards him, making almost no sound with each step it took, as it then arrived behind and to the right of Gabriel.

The figure was an elderly human woman who wore a black cloak with a hood, that was held in place with a red jewel in the center, and had a shoulder plate on her left arm side. While she did appear old, she bore a playful smile that did not match her years, and possessed gray hair tied into a ponytail.

Looking around, nothing seemed to catch her interest until her sight fell on the seated Gabriel. Her playful smile widened as she leaned her back against the counter, and continued to give him her absolute attention as she mischievously spoke.

"Well, well.~ What do we have here? Aren't you a rather handsome lad. Where did you come from a wonder?~ Been a long time since I've seen an attractive young man with looks like yours. Ah~kakaka!"

Her speech, followed by boisterous oddly drew no attention from those in the area despite how loud she spoke. This included Gabriel, who continued to calmly sip his hot beverage as if she wasn't there. To this she seemed to frown in disappointment as she spoke in Gabriel's direction.

"Ah, well.~ Perhaps you aren't the one I'm looking for, but you are still easy on the eyes. It's too bad. If only I was a few centuries younger, we could have had a bit of fun. Hehe.~ Or maybe someone like Gagaran would be more to your tastes. You strike me as the type of man who likes strong women."

Once again, neither Gabriel nor anyone else in the vicinity responded to her speech or presence, and this seemed to give the older woman a smug countenance as she walked away from Gabriel, and then turn her head to the left as she gave one last smirk.

"Well, take care young man. Maybe we'll see each other again.~"

With that final word, she walked out of the building right as someone else was leaving. Just as Gabriel started chuckling to himself, Miera was then trotting over to his location, wearing a brown cloak with hood, and wearing similar traveling attire to his.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for being late, Adatani'i." She stated apologetically.

"Hehehe. It's fine, Miera. You did say that you weren't much of a morning person." Gabriel replied with an amused chuckle.

"Um... Y-Yes. That's right..." Miera said in mild embarrassment.

Just then she tilted her head to the right slightly as she noticed that his expression was an amused one. Like he had been, entertained by something while she was absent.

"Um, did something happen, Adatani'i?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing Miera. Just an older woman, who tried to fish for something, but with no luck. Heh. Moreover, you should order something while you can."

"Oh, right! Of course. Um, let's see..."

Just as Miera was looking over what to order for her breakfast, Gabriel mulled over the most recent occurrence as he finished his drink.

 _'Rigrit Bers Caurau. She's just like the reports on her said she'd be. But what she is doing here in this city? Doubtful this is just a coincidence. Hmph... No matter. It's not quite time for us to have any sort of conversation. Maybe next time...'_

An hour or so later, both Gabriel and Miera caught a carriage to the next closest city to begin their travels together. Where it takes them, no one can say...

* * *

 ***A/N: Welp! It has been a while hasn't it? A great MANY thanks to everyone who have been VERY patient as I have been working to bring this one out on time. Now then, do not get too comfortable just yet. Even though Gabriel has gained a new traveling companion, there will be a one month flash-forward after this. Why? Because I have some CRAZY things in the pipeline, and I need to move the plot along to get to those crazy things that people have been waiting for going. What are those crazy things you ask? Well, you will just have to wait and see. Until next time! :D***


	15. Chapter 15-Change & Transitions

**Chapter 15-Change & Transitions**

 **-Over one month later-**  
 **Eastern Baharuth Empire Territory, Village of Moiyà**

It was dusk in the small Village of Moiyà, where some two-hundred people called home. Life for the people there was a modest one, where they woke up at dawn to a normal day's routine of daily chores, tending to farmland, and raising cattle to be used for meat or cultivating dairy products of milk and cheese to be sold in the city. Today their day started like any other, until their normal day was shattered.

Just as the sun was setting over the horizon, painting the land in an orange hue, there was movement less than 100-yards (91m) from the treeline of their village. It was then it happened: a horde of a hundred goblins and twelve ogres burst from the nearby forest to attack their village. Small raids were not that uncommon to them. They had 10-foot walls (305cm) made of sturdy logs and stonework that repelled most attempts to get in, and their militia of bowmen in watchtowers, or "nests" were well practiced.

However, this raid was different. It was much larger, and they were led by an axe wielding troll that was about as tall as their wall. As the militiamen sounded the alarm to the people, they did their best to whittle down the numbers as a veritable fusillade of arrows rained down on their attackers. Most of the shots killed goblins that wore nothing but rags, while others did little more than half-blind or inflict pain on the ogres.

The troll on the other hand, was not affected in the slightest, due its racial trait of fast regenerative healing. It charged forward, bellowing out what could have been assumed to be a warcry, which made the others rally around it. Once he rammed into the walls with a shoulder charge, the militiamen got a better look at the creature.

The troll was a muscular specimen with rough purplish skin, and red eyes that seemed to shine through the light of dusk. The militiamen were immediately struck with fear the moment their eyes made contact with it, which made it grin with pride as its tongue curled upward, seemingly reveling in their terror. It wore no armor, as it relied solely on its thick hide and regenerative ability. Instead it wore brown, primitively made leather boots with a matching loincloth.

They didn't have time to mull as it then proceeded to seemingly pose for them with its muscular arms curled. It was as if it was showing off its mountain of a physique to them, seemingly gloating over its superiority. While they were baffled and dumbstruck at the display, it then suddenly hoisted its greataxe above its head, that seemed to faintly glow in a magical light. Realizing what it was about to do, one of the more lucid militiamen on the walls' nests cried out...

"EVERYONE! GET DOWN!"

It was too little, too late, as the troll swung down, and then in a massive *CRASH!* that echoed over the plains, it opened up a hole in the walls. It wasn't large enough for the ogres to quite fit, but it was enough for the goblins to rush in...

"GOBLINS IN THE WALLS! STOP THEM!

One of the more veteran villagers with a white beard stood fast with an iron partizan, while the others in the militia did the same with a varied array of weapons ranging from spears, swords, and maces. They were of iron make and relatively cheap, but they were the best that their village could afford. Especially out on the frontier of the Empire, where the nearest city was at least four hours away by wagon.

And so the two sides clashed, as the militiamen did their best to ensure that their home and loved ones were kept safe. While they did admirably against the goblins, they knew that if the walls or the gate failed them, they stood no chance. Whether their stand against the inevitable was one of bravery or simple desperation, one could not say, but they were determined to do what they could no matter what.

Meanwhile, with a single swing the troll dispatched the two nests nearest their location, and once it did it stood back and seemed to watch on in amusement at their futile efforts. Like it gained a sort of a perverse entertainment out of watching the weak humans struggle. Just then however, as the ogres were about to breach the opening in the wall, the troll's expression changed to a stern and focused one.

It sniffed the air and looked up, and to its surprise saw a red carpet floating in the air as it fluttered in the breeze. Even more confusing, there was a cloaked, female elf riding on top of it. Thanks to his keen senses, he did not need to see under the cloak to identify what this being was. Then the female figure then pulled out and pointed a 9-inch (23cm) polished stick at the ogres.

The troll's danger senses kicked in and then jumped away from the ogres whom were furiously beating on the walls, and just as they were about to breach them...

"[Fireball]."

The female elf calmly chanted the 3rd-tier spell, and an orange orb of fire shot out from the "stick". Meaning it was actually a wand, and then...

*KABOOM!*

A fiery explosion killed two unsuspecting ogres and seriously burned three others. Now their and the other nests' attention was on the floating carpet in the sky. This made one of the younger militiamen in a nest cry out in a relieved, hopeful voice.

"It that a magic caster?! An adventurer?! We're saved!"

In contrast, the ogres growled and snarled at the new arrival, despite their obvious distance and disadvantage. They roared hatefully at the newcomer and started to chuck their clubs at her, who then deftly maneuvered the [Flying Carpet] out of the way, and at a position opposite to her original, and then casted another spell from her wand.

"[Fireball]!"

*KABOOM!*

Two more ogres died a fiery death at this, and as the female newcomer started to circle-strafe the rest. Some scattered in different directions, while a few still tried to breach the hole in the wall. As she continued to rain death upon them and the few goblins still outside the walls, the militiamen were given renewed hope and resolve as the leader cried out.

"DON'T LET UP! THIS IS OUR CHANCE! KILL THE FILTHY GOBLINS!"

"ARHAAAAAA!"

No more words need be spoken, as everyone rallied and let out a warcry as they made a push to slaughter the vile wretches that came to pillage their home. Due to their distance from the nearest city, Knights rarely came out to their village, except to collect taxes. Thus, their determination to fight for their homes as all the more fierce.

While all of this was going on, the troll had its back to the whole scene, as he found himself staring down a male human with long, golden blonde hair, emerald green eyes, and wore light lacquer armor with cloak. He had a white cigarette on his lips that lightly flickered, as the troll angrily spoke in a growl, pointing its glowing, magic greataxe at the man whom was a mere 5-meters away from him.

"Grragh! You! You're with that caster?! Then you die!"

The man was unmoved as he stared down the the troll with a calm expression, showing neither worry nor fear. Taking one last buff of the cigarette, he removed it with his left hand, and flicked it into the air, which then disappeared in an emerald colored flame. This confused the troll for a moment before the man then spoke in a calm, cool tone.

"We'll see about that creature, but first do you have a name?"

"Hmph! The weak human wants my name? Very well! I'm the great Karr! One of the strongest and smartest of my race!" The troll pridefully replied as he flexed his muscles, to ensure that his strength and stature was not missed before continuing to speak.

"And you puny human? What's your name?"

"Call me Ishmael." The human man stoically replied, as he then unsheathed a katana from his back.

For a brief moment the troll froze, as its instincts told him that this human was not to be taken lightly. Karr was always an outlier among his people. Trolls were well known for their high-speed regeneration and great strength, but also for their low intelligence. He was always smarter than the others, and left his home to wander about. He did so to not only learn, but to grow stronger. His greatest victory was over a minotaur that once wielded the greataxe he did now.

That minotaur was among the strongest he ever faced, and this "puny" human had a similar strong presence to that minotaur. In truth, the well ingrained troll bias for short names equaling strength was the only reason he picked up on this. Something he most likely would have missed if his soon-to-be-opponent replied with a longer name.

"Grrrmm... You're not as puny as I thought. Your short name proves that. Then I'll kill you using all my strength." Karr replied in an almost respectful growl as his red eyes started glowing, along with the greataxe.

Karr took a stance as "Ishmael" remained passive, closely watching his quarry with katana at his side. To an amateur, it seemed he left himself wide open to an attack, but Karr's instincts told him otherwise. His opponent had no real openings. Except...

"Grrraaaaah!"

Like an arrow that had been let loose, Karr charged forward in a single dash with a blinding speed that contradicted his size. In the blink of an eye he was just a few feet from Ishmael, and then swung his axe horizontally. However, in mid-motion the swing flowed into an upward vertical move meant to bisect his opponent, starting from his naval, and upwards to the head.

*SWOOSH!*

Instead of the expected blood and viscera, Karr cut nothing but air, as his opponent seemed to have vanished from his sight. Also, much to his shock, his hands, forearms, and arms were covered in numerous cuts and slashes. They weren't flesh wounds, but deep cuts that would have severed his limbs in several different places. The only reason Karr was spared from this was due to his prodigious regenerative healing that was faster and more powerful than the average troll.

Still, that did not mean he was immune to the resulting pain that stabbed at his mind like a thousand needles. Only his rage, adrenaline, and pride allowed him to keep hold of his weapon. Just then he heard a light *THUD*, as his foe seemed to have landed on the ground after a sizable jump that put a 5-meter distance between them. "Ishmael" then spoke in a calm, almost casual tone of voice...

"I'm genuinely impressed, Karr. I meant to sever your arms from your weapon in eight different places."

Karr felt his rage intensify as he saw literally nothing but red. He could not understand how he lost track of this human. Nor could he fathom how he could have been cut without realizing it. But it did not matter as he blindly charged forth again...

"ROOAR!"

This time Karr did not even think, as he went for a downward swing, aimed directly for Ishmael's head. His speed somehow increased with his rage, and was upon his foe even faster than before. Ishmael on the other hand did not seem worried, as he then swung the katana in his right hand in an upward motion.

*CLANG!*

The sound of metal against metal rang out as their weapons collided, batting away Karr. An incredible gust of wind accompanied the blow, along with numerous slashes over his body.

Karr fell onto his back 5-meters away from his foe, whom did not seem to move from his position, but instead calmly observed Karr as he struggled to get back up on his feet. He fell to a knee, gripping his shining greataxe, and gasped heavily for air as he roared balefully at Ishmael.

"WHAT TRICKS ARE THESE?!"

"There are no tricks, Karr. The fact of the matter is I'm just stronger, faster, and frankly smarter than you. Or do you believe my companion separating you from your troop of ogres and goblins was just a coincidence?"

Karr's eyes widened at the realization. When he jumped away from the [Fireball], he did so out of pure instinct. His weakness to fire was still a factor, even with his healing, and before he could join the fray, he was confronted by this human that somehow snuck up behind him. That forced him to move his attention away from the tribe of goblins and ogres he had subdued, and the village that was to be his first conquest.

The troll then growled hatefully at the human named, "Ishmael". He may have a strong name, but a human stronger than him? Impossible! There was just no way! He clenched his fists and and fangs at the thought, but before he could retort, his foe continued speaking as he held up his blade horizontally in front of him.

"Karr, had I not arrived when I did, you and those under you would have slaughtered and perhaps worse to those villagers. Moreover, I can smell the blood on you. How many innocent lives suffered and died because of you?... No matter. You're not leaving here alive."

Though his voice was calm, there was a wrathful undercurrent that Karr immediately sensed, and all at once he felt a hot, oppressive force bear down on him. He felt as if hot needles pricked at his skin, and most shocking of all, he felt fear. Then Ishmael lifted his left hand, and with his index finger, he flicked the katana's blade, making it ring out in the air as he sent a mental command to activate one of his abilities...

 _'[Gift of the Emerald Flame].'_

Suddenly the katana's blade and Ishmael's eyes erupted in an emerald colored flame. A sight that struck Karr with both fear and confusion. Was this the power of his sword, like that of his axe? And green flames? He had never heard nor seen such a thing, but knew that if he didn't run, it would be the end of him. Though it was already too late, for in a flash, Ishmael had already swiftly moved from his position, to Karr's front.

"Now burn."

As Ishmael's voice echoed with a menacing tone that froze Karr in place, for a split second the image of a dragon flashed in his mind. And then...

 _'[Blazing Razor Edge].'_

The blow was instantaneous, as the troll Karr was bisected up the middle, from groin to head. However, the instant the two halves separated, they exploded in an inferno of emerald colored fire. Ishmael swiftly sheathed his katana into its scabbard on his back, and calmly walked down the middle that formed as the two halves fell apart.

Those two halves were ashes in mere moments as "Ishmael" then bent down to pick up Karr's weapon. Despite its size he had no trouble hefting it with one hand. As soon as he was inspecting the weapon, it shifted in size to better match that of it's new owner. While still a "greataxe" meant for battle, it was now better suited for human use. He perked a brow as he draped it over his shoulder and continued walking.

 _'Huh. Magic item confirmed. Nothing I've ever seen from YGGDRASIL or the Keep, so odds are it's from this world. Maybe those villagers will be able to make use of it. Miera should be done on her end by now...'_

* * *

While "Ishmael" was dealing with Karr, the elf-girl Miera had all but annihilated the ogres from atop her [Flying Carpet]. One of many gifts from her savior and benefactor Ishmael. Another was a 9-inch (23cm) wand made of "Ash Tree" wood with a dragon-heartstring core, as he had described it. The wand was imbued with twenty uses of the 3rd-tier spell [Fireball], and had only used ten of those "shots".

She skillfully twirled it in her fingers before whipping it down into a leather holster at her side. All the while she wore an excited, almost playful smile as she floated down to where the villagers were fighting and winning against the goblins.

"Looks like they could still use some help. Teehehe.~"

Chuckling like a girl on a play-date, she jumped down from the carpet once it was about 7-feet (213cm) from the ground, and landed right on top of an attacking goblin with a double stomp on its neck, breaking it on impact. The villagers and goblins alike froze, completely dumbstruck at her entrance. She wore garments that were very similar to Ishmael's, but were more feminine in appearance.

She casually smiled and waved to the villagers, some of whom balked at her happy-go-lucky demeanor, given the situation. The goblins on the other hand looked at each other with confused expressions, but then Miera turned to them, and pointed her right index finger towards a line of four of them. She then spoke in a relaxed manner...

"[Lightning]."

Suddenly a straight bolt of blue electricity erupted from her index finger's ring, piercing the four goblins, killing them instantly. Without pausing, she turned to another group of goblins not far from her, and near simultaneously activated two more spells sealed in her rings.

"[Magic Arrow]! [Acid Arrow]!"

Each individual spell landed dead center on the faces of the goblins they struck, taking them out of the fight. Both sides reacted by resuming the conflict, and nearly all goblins were at charging Miera, realizing her to be the bigger threat. However, shifting their attention to her and away from the militiamen opened them to fierce counterattacks that ended many of their number.

"PROTECT THE MAGIC CASTER!"

The older, partizan wielding militiaman bellowed out his orders to the others, fully realizing the advantage she gave them. Miera for her part was unperturbed, as she then continued casting spells from her rings without missing a beat.

"[Spark]! [Shock Wave]! [Blindness]! [Open Wounds]! [Flash Burn]! [Fire Arrow]!"

Each individual spell either took a goblin down outright, or left them vulnerable enough for a militiaman to kill them easily. After what was a heated battle the remaining goblins had been dispatched. All thanks to the disruption Miera had created by joining the fray. Just then a fallen goblin near her, that had been lying in the same place since before her arrival, sprang to life and lunged towards her.

"LOOK OUT!" A nearby militiaman yelled.

Without worry or hesitation, Miera simultaneously thrust her lightly armored left elbow into the goblin's face, and with her right hand grabbed onto the goblin's extended right wrist. She then smoothly ducked under the goblin's wrist she held onto, and threw the creature over her shoulder and onto the ground. Almost instantly the partizan wielding leader of the militia thrust his weapon into the goblin's heart, killing it almost instantly.

"Are you alright young lady?" The older man asked in concern.

"Oh, I'm fine!~ Thank you for taking care of that." She playful said as she smiled warmly.

"It's no problem, lass. We're the ones who should be thanking you!" The older man replied as he motioned around their immediate area.

All the goblins that managed to get inside were now dead to the last, but it was the opening that she created with her "entrance" that helped to shift things in their favor. Well, that and raining literal death to the ogres that were trying to force their way in. Details that did not escape the old man.

"Everyone, do a sweep and make sure we got them all. Move in pairs and don't go _anywhere_ alone until the bell rings it's clear!" The older man ordered in a stern voice.

'"Right!"'

Just like that, the militiamen moved out and followed instructions with practiced moves and firm determination. This was bolstered by the confidence they had knowing that a presumed magic caster was on their side. Then the older man turned back and spoke in a more gentle tone.

"Pardon me. My name is Pol. Pol Radizz. And you young lady?

"Oh, my name is Miera. It's a pleasure!~" She spoke in a friendly tone and smile that could melt the hearts of the twenty or so militiamen that remained.

She then removed her hood, revealing herself to be a beauty with violet colored eyes, bright blonde hair, and to their collective shock and surprise, an elf with long, slender, pointy ears. Before any could comment, they were snapped out of their stupor by the appearance of a human man, wearing attire similar to Miera's, stepping in from the hole in their wall.

Since the "nests" near that section were destroyed, lookouts were not available to announce his arrival. They were taken aback by his clean, handsome features, that were somehow enhanced by his stern and focused countenance. Before any could address him, the elf-girl Miera called out to him in a happy tone as she trotted over to him, waving as if she hadn't seen him in ages.

"Adatani'i~!"

He wore a light, yet warm smile as she approached him, and while his tone was firm, it was also soft as he spoke.

"Good job taking care of this end, Miera."

"Thank you, Adatani'i! You got that ugly troll, right?"

"Yes, it's been taken care of."

"Great! Then it's safe for everyone here again.~" Miera said as she lightly clapped.

"Ahem! Pardon me for intruding..." The older militiaman named Pol interjected.

"Oh! Sorry. Adatani'i, this is Pol Radizz. He's in charge here. Mister Radizz, this is my teacher and traveling companion, Ishmael. He took care of that ugly troll for you."

All at once there were collective gasps from the militiamen as Miera's words sunk in, although there were some looks of doubt. Noticing this, "Ishmael" stepped forward, and spoke in an exceedingly strong and masculine tone of voice, that would have made the old militiaman Pol Radizz swear that this man in front of him was a commander of troops for an army.

"What my companion here says is true. That troll will trouble you no more."

Those present could feel the power and will behind his words. Without realizing how or why, they felt his words were truth, and accepted them as they broke out in cheers.

"YES! PRAISE THE GODS!"

"We are saved!"

"Come on Dedryck! This is a victory!" One militiaman jostled his fellow to his right.

"Aaaah... meh. I'm just happy to be alive." His named comrade stated in a deadpan.

"Then... by chance... are you two Adventurers or Workers?" Pol asked while his fellow militiamen celebrated.

"Hahe... No, no. We are just travelers. We were actually on our way here to seek some lodging for the evening, when we noticed the horde assaulting your walls. We then quickly stepped in to aid in your defense." Ishmael replied with a friendly chuckle.

Pol and the other militiamen were wide-eyed at the revelation. This unusual pair of a powerful looking human man, and a beautiful and unassuming elf-girl with a varied set of magical abilities were just travelers? It made little sense to the older man, since most of those like them would be adventurers. Except for the elf, since they were most often slaves in the Empire.

However, neither the old man nor the others cared about her being an elf. Her efforts to help their village overrode such things for them. A reaction that could be considered a rarity in the Empire, but when they lived on the frontier where the Empire's Knights rarely tread, such things lost all meaning.

"Regardless, I can speak for all of us when I say, thank you for helping to save our village. Without you, we would've lost everything."

Pol took a bow, along with his fellow militiamen, expressing their sincere gratitude. Ishmael had a soft smile while Miera seemed to grin proudly at their display. Just then, the sound of a bell tolling could be hear in the air, signalling the all clear to their village as a whole. Then the elder of the militiamen resolutely started barking out orders to the younger men once the bell finished tolling.

"Oi, you lot! Once everyone gets back, we're gonna start working in shifts. Everyone here will get to collecting and moving the bodies to be burned. Those that get back will be pulling shifts to guard this breech in the wall 'till it gets fixed. Got it?"

'"Right!"'

"Ishmael" gave an approving nod as he watched the village militia move and behave like professional soldiers. Something that Pol took pride in as he smiled, and gave a means for Ishmael to strike up a more casual conversation.

"These men are well behaved and trained. It's quite impressive."

"Oh, hoh! Thanks for that. Really though, I just took what I learned during my time as a Knight of the Empire, and used it to train these brats. Heh. It's saved us on more than one occasion."

"Hm. I imagine so. From what I can see, you've done well with them." Ishmael said in a praising tone.

"Yeah, well, fat load of good it would have done if you two didn't show up... Oh! That reminds me, you said you came here for lodging, right? Well, far be it for me to not provide it for the people who helped save the village." The older man cordially offered.

"We thank you for your hospitality. How much for the evening?" Ismael asked in a humble manner.

"Gods no! Keep your coin. I'm not gonna charge the people who helped save our village a single copper. And that's that!" Pol stated resolutely.

At this, both Miera and "Ishmael" gave small head bows to show their appreciation, before Ishmael himself spoke up in a grateful tone.

"Thank you, Pol. We are very grateful."

"Bah! Don't worry about it. Follow me and we'll get you two taken care of." The older man said casually.

Pol took the lead as he waved the saviors of his village to follow him. He maintained a calm exterior, but internally he was completely puzzled by the strange and powerful duo. Ishmael seemed to carry a sword on his back that was wrapped in some sort of brown cloth, so he could not get a good look at it.

However, any swordsman who could fell a troll would be powerful indeed. The man himself seemed to have the bearing of someone not unused to battle. The very cadence of his steps was confident, self-assured, and had a level of precision and discipline one could find in a leader of men. He would have thought Ishmael a noble, but his gut was telling him otherwise.

The elf-girl named Miera was another puzzle. She carried herself in a carefree manner and acted in a way that he would normally associate with a lively young girl, whom was spending time with her father. Though he felt that an actual relation between them was unlikely. He's seen the subtle differences between a half-elf and a full-elf, and could tell she was the latter. His guess was that she had simply grown extremely attached to her traveling companion, and his presence alone made her happy. That strange word that she used to identify him at first was likely a nickname from his perspective.

Still, her behavior and demeanor belied her capabilities. Although, he did not know as much about such things as he would have liked, he was fairly certain she was a magic caster. Though the physicality she showed seemed to contradict that. Especially when she had defended herself from a goblin, and did so quite well.

Pol's thoughts came to an end when they had reached their destination. A sturdy cabin made of logs with a stone base for the foundation. Most of the housing in the village had similar construction, and showed that though isolated, the people here built their homes with the intentions of having them last, and that this village had been standing for quite some time.

"I hope this will be fine for you. It's really the only guest quarters we have left, since we had quite a few move here from other villages recently." Pol Radizz said in an almost apologetic tone.

"Oh, no, no. This will do fine. Thank you." Ishmael said with a small, friendly smile.

"Well, you two get settled, and I'll have some dinner sent over. I've got to get back to the others, and help with the guard rotations. Last thing we need is another attack at night." Pol said in a barely restrained tone of dejection.

"You can rest assured Pol, that this village will suffer no more attacks tonight." Ishmael said with a calm tone.

At this the old militiaman perked a brow as he looked upon one of their saviors, and spoke in a skeptical tone.

"Oh? How can you be so certain?"

"I speak from experience, sir. A horde that size failing to return to its nest would likely signal to any survivors that the last thing they should do is attack the same location. Especially when the one leading them also fails to return."

The old man was taken aback a bit as he rubbed his beard thoughtfully with his left hand. What the man called "Ishmael" said made complete sense to him. After all, if the leader of a pack died assaulting a target, even the dumbest of animals would realize the dangers, and avoid the place. Still, he began to question why he felt the words of this man could be trusted, seemingly without hesitation.

It made little sense to him, but he simply huffed and disregarded it as gratitude and relief from being saved from a difficult experience. He sighed in fatigued as a thought crossed him mind...

 _'I'm getting too old for this...'_

"That's a good point, Ishmael. Still, I'm going to have some militia keep watch anyways." Pol firmly stated.

"Oh, of course. That is perfectly understandable, and would the prudent thing to do." Ishmael said in agreement.

"Thank you for understanding. After all, we've gotta make sure our saviors can sleep soundly tonight... Well, I must be gettin' to it. Thanks again, and have a good night the both of you." Pol stated in a respectful tone and head bow.

The gesture was returned by both Ishmael and Miera as they each replied.

"Of course, Messere Pol. Thank you for your hospitality." Ishmael said cordially.

"Take care, Mister Pol.~" Miera said in a friendly manner.

The old man could only smile at the elf-girl as her radiant smile made him feel like a young man again. A sensation that was not unfamiliar to him, but he quickly turned around before any inappropriate thoughts filled his mind.

Meanwhile, Miera had already opened the door to their quarters with "Ishmael" following closely behind as he shut the door behind them. It was simple cabin with a common area to receive guests with a plain wooden table with two chairs with a window behind it. The window itself didn't have glass, but instead wooden stutters that were open to allow the outside light in.

In the middle of the table was a simple lantern, which Miera was quick to light with an item given to her called a "matchstick". It was quick and disposable, and she seemed to genuinely enjoy "flicking" them alight with her thumbnail. Once the lantern started to illuminate the room, they noticed another door to their right that most likely led to the cabin's bedroom.

"Aaaaaah... I'm so ready for bed, Adatani'i." Miera stated in a carefree manner as she stretched.

"Hehem... I know, Miera. Still, we will wait for them to bring dinner. It wouldn't do to go to bed on empty stomachs." Gabriel said in a teacherly manner, still in his "Ishmael" persona, before then continuing.

"By the way, you are still wearing that ring item I gave you, correct?"

"Oh, of course, Adatani'i! I never take it off. Just like you told me to." Miera stated enthusiastically as she spun around, and lifted up her left hand to display her rings.

"Hm. Good to hear. Now then, let us rest and wait for evening meal."

"Okay Adatani'i.~" Miera cheerfully replied as they took seats at the table.

The ring displayed on her left thumb was silver, edged in gold, and had a green line through its center. It was a ring item from YGGDRASIL called the [Ring of Growth]. Originally it was for Players that had just started the game, and needed to catch up quickly. It would boost EXP gains by 2.5 times for Players below lvl-40. The lower leveled the Player, the more significant the gains. Of course, once they had reached the lvl-40 point, the ring was rendered useless to them.

Gabriel had given Miera that ring shortly after they had started traveling together. His reasoning for doing so was twofold. First, he wanted to determine if this item could truly aid in the growth and development of people in this new world. Second, if it could he would have Miera use it during the time they traveled together. He explained that if she was to travel with him, he would help her to grow stronger, so she could better look after herself, to which she agreed, and wore the ring at all times.

So then, for over the month they had been traveling together, he had subjected her to rigorous training, ranging from physical training, mental training, and hand-to-hand self-defense training. It was difficult for her at first, but he was always there to support and encourage her at every step of the way. Every phase of the training was a choice that he left to her, and never once did he force her into doing anything.

However hard or little she worked at whatever training he threw at her, was her own choice to make. And when she did make that choice, he trained right alongside her, showing her through word and deed of what she could do, when she put her mind to it. It was this teaching method of letting one choose for themselves whether or not to endure, and teaching by example, that inspired her to push herself, and that she did.

Of course, little did she know that during that entire time, Gabriel was using his command classes to help reinforce her physically and mentally. That way, she could push herself harder, and for longer periods of time.

She pushed herself extremely hard, driven by her ever growing admiration for him, and by his example. He had even "arranged" a few monster encounters to help spur on her growth and build her confidence.

Over time, he gifted her other items, and before they had arrived to this village, she had grown considerably mentally, emotionally, and physically in every way. When measured by YGGDRASIL standards, she had started her training as a lvl-4 elf, and was now a lvl-6.

While that growth rate may have seemed fast to the standards of this new world, it was still abysmally slow when compared to that of YGGDRASIL. Still, it gave Gabriel a great deal of insight into how growth in this world worked. With the combination of the ring and her own intense efforts, she shot up two levels in over a month. By contrast, Gabriel without aid of items could only advance a single level back in Dracon's Keep in exactly one month, before then seemingly hitting a wall in his own growth.

This made a sort of sense to Gabriel. She was _much_ lower leveled than him, so she had more room to grow. In contrast, if the lvl-100 cap was still in effect in this world, Gabriel as a lvl-97 would have a greater summit to climb to level-up. Still, the gradual change in Miera's demeanor and behavior alone was worth it as far as Gabriel was concerned...

*Knock*Knock*

Just then there was a light knock on the door to their guest quarters. Gabriel with his superior senses smelled cooked meats, bread, and vegetables on the other side. More than likely, it was cooked before the attack on the village, which explained how they could quickly provide for them.

"That should be our dinner, Miera. Let us eat and then call it a night." He said with a gentle smile.

"No argument from me Adatani'i.~" Meira stated cheerfully.

* * *

Walking in an orange-hue, blood-stained landscape, Gabriel's sight remains steadfast as he continues his pace. As if what he is seeing is nothing out of the ordinary. Then from this landscape of crimson, arose hundreds of shambling forms from the blood soaked earth. These forms were mostly humanoid in shape, but had deathly pale skin, and eyes of yellow that glared upon him with distain and hate.

The forms were men and women of nearly all types of shapes, sizes, and builds, and wore no clothing to speak of as haunting echoes of misery filled the air. These forms all surrounded Gabriel, leaving him in the center of a ring as he calmly folded his arms, almost completely unperturbed by what he was witnessing.

"So... you've come at last. It's been a long time since I've seen you lot." Gabriel said with a certain acceptance in his voice.

The hundreds of forms surround Gabriel, all trying to reach out towards him, yet they could not do so. As if some invisible force held them back. Then more forms emerge in the distance, and when all was said and done, they were numbering in the thousands. Then like a refrain in a mantra of enmity and rancor, they chant the same phrase...

"YOU kiLLEd Us... YOU kiLLEd Us... YOU kiLLEd Us..."

At this, Gabriel did not flinch or refute their words. Instead, he nodded in acceptance, as crimson tears of blood trickled down his cheeks, and profound feelings of regret filled his heart and mind. Then he replied to their dreadful refrain in a rueful tone...

"Yes, I did. If things were different..."

 _"BEGONE!"_

A thunderous voice roared into the air, and all the deathly forms then burst into bright emerald colored flames. At this, Gabriel's expression turned into a displeased scowl, as the bloody tears also burst into emerald flames, with his eyes enveloped by the same. As this happened, the gigantic form of a flaming emerald dragon burst through the sky, and flew directly above Gabriel as speeds that broken the sounds barrier.

The thunderous sonic boom that filled the sky miraculously didn't disturb Gabriel on the ground, and in an instant the flaming dragon touched down behind him. Sitting up on all fours like a cat, the flaming form's heat somehow did not burn him, but instead enveloped him in a protective aura. It brought warmth, comfort, protection, and most tellingly of all, peace.

Then the flaming emerald form of a dragon spoke in an echoing voice that possessed an almost fatherly tone.

 _"Why do you do this to yourself, young one?"_

Gabriel did not immediately answer, as his gaze remained focused on the distant horizon in front of him. Then in a steely voice he replied...

"Because... if I don't, who will?"

 _"It is unnecessary. You are above such things."_

"No, dragon, I am not. If I allow myself to think like that, then where do I draw the line? What stops me from becoming the very monsters I've fought against? I do this, because no one else can. These burdens I bear, keeps me human."

The flaming emerald dragon form behind him seemed to pause to consider his words, before then speaking in a sagely tone.

 _"You do not need to do this. You are not your ancestor..."_

"Silence!"

Gabriel abruptly interrupts the dragon before it can finish, and then speaks again with a more adversarial tone.

"You will not speak of that again."

There was a moment of tension before the dragon spoke again, but still with a tone of understanding and calm, as Gabriel seemed the only one disturbed by the topic that was broached.

 _"Very well... I understand... Still, I require an answer."_

There was a moment of silence before it was broken once more by the dragon.

 _"Your way of paying penance then?"_

"Hm... Indeed, you can say that. I acknowledge and accept my actions. I don't run from them. I accept responsibility for all that I have done. Just like I accept and embrace the pain using our power causes."

 _"Hmph. You go too far, young one. Your previous link to your beloved Alisha kept these misplaced feelings in check. Yes, you've taken many lives over the course of your two-hundred years. Yes, you've made mistakes, and while noble, self-blame and regret is entirely too destructive. If it wasn't for your actions, many more lives would have been lost, and your world would have become a polluted wasteland. Just like what those in the Hierarchy wanted."_

Suddenly, the images of his surroundings changed from the blood-soaked landscape, to clear blue skies, and a thriving city in the background. The people went about their days without breathing masks, and what was able to have normal lives. Gabriel could not deny that while the Hierarchy knew that humanity would one day pollute themselves into oblivion, he could not accept it.

When he found out about the predicted projections of Earth's downfall, he couldn't standby and simply let it happen. He begged, pleaded, and fought his love Alisha over the issue. Despite what some people may have thought, they disagreed and argued like any other couple. It didn't happen often, but it _did_ happen. Like how the Hierarchy was going to standby and let the world go to ruin, and how Alisha, however reluctantly, was just going to go along with it.

Their arguments lasted for days on the issue, and even caused a sizable rift to form between them, but in the end, Gabriel managed to convince her to take action. This "action" took the form of the two of them traveling the world, using their combined influences, and personally killing those corrupt officials that would have aided in Earth's downfall.

The number of bodies they buried together exceeded the hundreds, and in the end they found a way to ensure the Earth's future was secure. Even when entire rainforests were cut down, companies mysteriously popped up that built gigantic machines to scrub the atmosphere of CO2 and pollutants. Suddenly and inexplicably, protecting the environment became big business, and not even the Vampire Hierarchy could stop that.

Alisha tried to hide it from him, but he knew that the Hierarchy was not pleased. He knew that many vampires would have welcomed the chance to see humanity die off from pollution and over-population, and during the course of his journey in the new world, a conclusion inexorably rose to the surface...

"Did my actions kill her?"

 _"Don't delude herself, young Gabriel. Though you are responsible for many deaths, some more deserved than others, hers is not one of them. Sooner or later, they would have come for you both, regardless of what you may or may not have talked her into... This is my only warning to you: continue to indulge in this, and I will do everything in my power to speed the loss of that 'humanity' you hold so dear."_ The emerald flame dragon said with a menacing tone.

The response that the flame dragon received was that of an amused chuckle, as Gabriel spoke in a sardonic tone.

"Hahehe... For something made real by the transfer, you're quiet full of yourself, to try and threaten me."

To this, Gabriel received a very similar reply, in the form of amused chuckling, and tone of voice as the dragon spoke.

 _"It is true that the armor that fused to your being is from that fascinating little game called, 'YGGDRASIL'. However, you are making a grave error in thinking that_ I _am from the same place that you know..."_

"Wha...?!" Gabriel exclaimed, as his eyes shot wide, and he sharply turned around.

However, the flaming form was nowhere to be found when he did so, and the view surrounding him changed to that of an expanse of water as far as the eye can see. The light in the sky dimmed to that of a full solar eclipse, and the voice of his inner dragon thrummed in the air.

 _"Let it all go, my young Gabriel. Guilt. Regret. Restraint. Your past. These will only lead you to ruin. I know this all too well. Move on... Just like that young elf-girl you helped. After all, she is young, and ripe for you... Hahaha..."_

* * *

Just as the inner dragon's voice fades, Gabriel woke up from his deep slumber, and was now laying upon a simple bed with plain cotton sheets and feather pillow. He looks up and to the left to see the rays of the early morning sun beaming through the cracks of the closed window, and could tell that it was well past dawn by the looks of things.

He looked down to see his emerald aura still lightly enveloping him, and Miera who was in the bed with him, sleeping peacefully on his chest as they were wrapped in cotton sheets. This was actually quite normal for them since they started traveling together. There were other times like this where only a single bed was available, and she actually seemed quite comfortable in sharing a bed with him.

Gabriel's emerald aura slowly faded, yet they still felt warm and comfortable. He would not have minded staying in bed like this for the morning, if not for one "minor" issue. That was of Miera's left hand "groping" him in her sleep, and "squeezing" him with slow, unconscious movements.

This unfortunately also became normal, for whenever his aura activated in his sleep, which was sometimes preceded by a dream, the "influence" of the warm energies of his aura seemed to have that effect on Miera. If Gabriel had to guess, this was his inner dragon's way of playing games with him. Especially in light of its final words to him in his most recent dream, that still seemed to echo in his thoughts. As if to mock him.

 _'Hmph! Next time I see it, I'm going to make it pay for its shenanigans...'_ Gabriel thought in mild annoyance.

Of course, the previous times this happened, he had a simple solution. He moved his left hand, and started to quickly and rigorously flick and tickle the pointy end of her left ear. He found that was _extremely_ sensitive to stimulation completely by accident, and used this method to gently wake her.

The effect was almost immediate as she trembled, moaned, and stirred, and almost immediately her hand that was unconsciously groping him, shot up to her overly sensitive ear. Her eyes then flickered open as she deeply yawned like a bear coming out of hibernation. Gabriel always chuckled at the very unladylike display, and this time was no exception as she glanced upward at him and languidly spoke.

"Hrm... Good.. mornin'... Adatani'i... Hmm..."

"Hehe... Good morning sleepy head. You slept well." Gabriel replied in amusement, as she then let out another deep yawn.

"Uh huh... I really did, Adatani'i... It's so warm and comfy... Let's just sleep in today...~"

"Hehehe..."

Gabriel only chuckled warmly in response as she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his left leg as if he were a body pillow. Of course, there was more to it than her not being a morning person. Gabriel didn't fail to notice that during the whole time that she wore the EXP-boosting ring item, she became an even deeper sleeper than before, and her caloric intake almost doubled as well.

He speculated that due to the ring item essentially boosting her development, it took a corresponding toll on the body as well. This highlighted another key difference between the effects of an item in the game, when compared to that of a real world environment. Especially for a young elf-girl like Miera, whom he could only assume had never trained extensively in her life before meeting him.

"Well, I know it's tempting to just lay here all day, but we need to get ready to leave."

"Awww...~ Can't we just take this day off, Adatani'i?" Miera asked in a cute pout.

"Not today, unfortunately. There's some place that we need to be later on today." Gabriel gently said.

"..."

Miera remained silent for a moment as her grip on Gabriel's form tightened, and then she spoke as if a child pouting.

"No.~ I'm not moving. We're staying right here." She resolutely stated.

At these antics Gabriel let out a fatigued sigh. As amusing and even heartwarming as this was, there was an actual schedule he wanted to keep. Especially when something important regarding Miera herself needed to be done. He then spoke in a firm tone...

"Miera, if you don't let go, I swear I'm going to tickle your ears into oblivion."

"Wha...?!"

Miera's eyes shot wide as she jerked up and covered both of her ears at the declaration, and she spoke in a flustered manner.

"Adatani'i!~ Y-Y-You wouldn't!"

"Oh, yes. I most certainly would." He replied nonchalantly.

"B-But that's so mean~! And totally not fair." She exclaimed in a pout.

"Riiiight... Like it's fair to keep me tied to this bed as if I'm your personal body-pillow." Gabriel stated in a deadpan as he sat up.

The elf-girl was left speechless as her face lit up in a bright scarlet color, and then huffed in resignation as she crossed her arms.

"F-Fine then."

"Much appreciated." Gabriel said with a smirk as he stood up.

He wore a simple white cotton long-sleeved shirt and trousers as he stretched his limbs out. Miera likewise wore a simple white nightgown as she too stretched and yawned loudly as her long, flowing blonde hair messily draped down her back and past her waist.

"Let's get ready." Gabriel stated in a calm tone.

"...Alright." Miera replied with total lack of energy and enthusiasm in her voice.

* * *

About an hour later, both Gabriel and Miera emerged from their guest quarters wearing their traveling attire and looked upon the village they saved the previous evening. The people went about their business of morning chores, as well as to tend to those that were tending to the breach in the wall that protected their village. Young children were frolicking and playing without a care in the world, as the adults were collectively more preoccupied with the aftermath of the previous evening's events.

Miera gazed upon the four innocent youngling boys with gleaming eyes, and when they noticed her, they could only stare at wide-eyed wonder. This was more than likely the first time they had ever seen an elf, and with hearing that outclassed most humans, she could clearly hear their whispered gossiping...

"Is she... an elf?"

"Mommy talked about them..."

"I like her ears. I wish I had ears like those..."

"She's very pretty..."

Miera smiled warmly at the children as she giggled and waved at them, and then spoke in a friendly tone.

"Awww, thank you younglings! A lady always likes being called 'pretty'. Oh! And yes, I am an elf.~"

As she finished speaking, she gracefully twirled around, giggling in a lighthearted manner as their faces blushed. Though young, they quickly realized that she somehow heard their no-so-subtle gossiping. Meanwhile, Gabriel lightly smiled at the innocent scene, and how his traveling companion had effectively embarrassed them into silence with little to no effort.

"Ah, hah! If it isn't our saviors. Good morning to ya'!" An older voice rang out to their right.

The children ran away at the sound of the voice, saddening Miera as she watched them run off, obviously enjoying their presence while it lasted. Gabriel turned to see the source of the voice, and saw the old militiaman Pol Radizz as he approached. He looked fatigued, despite his friendly demeanor, telling Gabriel that he mostly likely spent most of the evening awake after they had parted.

"Good morning, Messere Pol. Are you alright?" Gabriel greeted cordially.

"Ah, just 'Pol' will do. Anyways, I spent most of the night dealing with clean-up, and organizing new guard shifts and patrols to make up for that gaping hole in the wall... My apologies. I came here to offer you two breakfast. Not to listen to my complaining." Pol said in a weary and apologetic manner.

"Oh, it's perfectly fine!~ You don't need to apologize for that." Miera chimed in with a cheerful voice.

"My thanks young lady. You're like a regular ray of sunshine." Pol said in a friendly tone.

"Aw, thank you.~"

"And? Were there any more incidents last night?" Gabriel matter-of-factly asked.

"Nah. All was quiet throughout the night. Looks like your hunch was right, Ishmael." Pol said in a somewhat relieved tone.

"I see... I am glad for that. This village has already been through enough." Gabriel said in a pleased tone.

Of course, what Pol didn't know was during that time, "Ishmael" instructed for Shadow Demon summons from Dracon's Keep to quietly patrol the surrounding forests during their stay. During the time that he and Miera were getting ready, he had already been informed via [Message] that the surround had been completely cleared of hostile demi-humans.

Of course, thanks to the vague wording of his orders to, "clear the surrounding forests", his NPCs did just that. Just in a 100-km (62.1mi) radius. It made Gabriel make a mental note as he spoke with Pol...

 _'Food for thought: always be specific with orders. Oh, well. At least this village won't have to worry about monster attacks for a good, long while...'_

"Well, in any case, I thank you for the offer of breakfast Pol, but we already had some travel rations before now, and we really must be on our way." Gabriel cordially informed.

"Ah, I see... I'm sorry to hear that. A lot in the village wanted to meet ya', but I gotcha. You did say that you were only passing through. But before you go, I was wondering if you know anythin' about a great, big battle-axe that was just sitting in front of the village gates?" Pol asked inquisitively.

"Oh, that. That belonged to the troll I defeated last night. I had no use for it, so I left it for the village to claim." Gabriel casually replied.

"Wait... what?! S-S-Surely you jest! That's a magic item! One o' the most powerful I've ever seen to boot! You can't just... I mean, you defeated that monster. By rights, it belongs to you!" Pol exclaimed in a single breath, completely flabbergasted by "Ishmael's" overly casual actions.

To this, Gabriel simply gave a kindly, understanding smile as he approached Pol, and he rested his right hand on his left shoulder. This small gestured seemed to have calmed the man down as Gabriel spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Pol, I'm not one to brag, but I feel compelled to remind you that I killed that troll that wielded that magic item. Now, ask yourself, what use would it be to me?"

The older man was rendered dumbstruck. Not just from the simple nature of the question, but by how it also made Ishmael's point clear for him. Any man that could kill that monster single-handedly, armed with that magic weapon his people had found would more than likely have a comparable weapon of his own. However, Pol still found himself doubting, until "Ishmael" spoke up again.

"Pol, once my companion and I leave, this village will need that magic item more than I do. Whether it's in the form of one of your people learning to wield it, or selling it in the nearest city, the greatest need is found with the hundred or so people here. Do you disagree?"

Once again, the old man was left speechless. The argument was perfectly sound, even if he was surprised by the levels of largesse shown by this man. Thus, he was left with only one way to respond...

"N-No. I don't disagree.'

"Good. Then it's settled. And don't worry. I fully intended this to be a trade of sorts. In exchange for keeping the magic item, I ask that you and yours keep our names and likenesses to yourselves. Agreed?" Gabriel said firmly.

"Oh, of course, Ishmael. That won't be a problem. I'll make sure that everyone in the village understands not to talk about you two." Pol agreed in an amiable tone.

"Thank you, Pol. Now then, I apologize for being abrupt, I'm afraid we must be on our way."

"O-Oh! But of course. Then, safe travels to you, Ishmael. And to you young lass. Words will never be enough for what you have done for us." Pol said with a bow.

"You are welcome, Pol. Be well." Gabriel said with his own head-bow as he then slowly started to walk off.

"Take care, Mister Pol!~" Miera said in a friendly tone and wave as she followed after her traveling companion.

As Pol watched them leave and cordially greet curious villagers as they passed them by, he thought them an unusual pair, but was nonetheless grateful for them showing up when they did. He never considered himself too terribly religious or spiritual, but even so he found himself closing his eyes and hanging his head low as he gave a silent prayer to the Four Great Gods, wishing them safe journeys and good fortune...

* * *

Nearly an hour later, both Miera and Gabriel were walking down a well used dirt path as Gabriel took the lead, with Miera following close behind. She happily hummed a tune to herself as they casually strolled along with both of their hoods up. Then Miera broke the silence as she spoke in a what would be her usual friendly tone, and jogged up to be walking side-by-side with him.

"Say, Adatani'i.~ You said something about having a surprise for me. Can I know what it is now? Pleeease?~"

Gabriel chuckled warmly at the display. Despite her being a young woman in elven years, her acting like a child eager for their present was an endearing sight to him. Truly, it never failed to bring a smile to his face.

"Oh, it's something big and surprising, Miera. Are you sure you want me to spoil it now?"

"Of course!~ If its anything like the items you gifted me, then I'm sure it's going to be great!" Miera said excitedly.

The items she spoke of were the magic items and gear gifted to her by Gabriel during their travels. In additional to the [Ring of Growth], she was gifted a sash that increased her strength, an amulet that increases stamina and stamina regeneration, earrings that boosts speed, a traveling pack that allows the storage of over 100 items, the flying carpet for flight, and an assortment of wands and scrolls with stored spells. Even her attire that resembled his bore many enhancements and protections.

She never questioned deeply where her benefactor got such items. Especially when his default explanation was akin to saying, "I have connections." In the end though, it really didn't matter to her. Not when he had done so much for her, and the other people that they had helped along the way.

Then suddenly, as the two of them passed by trees and foliage, Gabriel stopped walking and keenly surveyed his surroundings. This confused Miera for a moment, since she felt nothing in the area. Of course, she knew that her benefactor's senses were far superior to hers, despite him being human. Just then, "Ishmael" turned to her and motioned to follow him into the dense foliage.

They quietly walked several more meters, until they were almost completely obscured by foliage on all sides. Then her benefactor turned to her with a smiling expression that was completely new to her. One of... mischief? It truly took her off guard as her then reached out and gently hugged her with his left arm. This caught Miera completely off-guard, as she had to stifle a surprised squeak.

Her hands rested on his lacquer chest-plate as she felt his warmth press against hers. Something that never failed to set her heart all aflutter. Then he lifted up his right hand, which held a dazing blue crystal. She marveled at the object with wide eyes and mouth agape as he then spoke.

"This is the surprise, Miera. With this 'relic', we're about to teleport to a completely different location." Gabriel said with a smile.

"R-Really? Wow... Where will it take us?" She asked with awed curiosity.

"To a small country south of us called the, 'Land of the Drake Riders'. Are you ready?"

"Oh, yes. I am." Miera replied enthusiastically.

With that, Gabriel tensed his hand and crushed the crystal. Shortly after it started to disintegrate into motes of blue light, as Gabriel then sent a mental command to activate the magic within...

 _'[Greater Teleportation]'_

With the activated, the two of them vanish in a flash of blue light...

* * *

 **Land of the Drake Riders,** **Ishesa Settlement**

Within a small, seemingly abandoned cottage, both Gabriel and Miera re-materialize mere seconds as soon as they disappeared from within the Baharuth Empire's territory. Gabriel releases his gentle hold on Miera, much to her slight disappointment, and then lowers his hood. At that action Miera follows suit, and takes a moment to study her surroundings as her ears twitch.

She found them to be in a clean, yet plain cottage without furniture, or any other kind of decor whatsoever. Though the air was fresh and clean, the scents she picked up were almost completely unfamiliar to her. She then looked questioningly to her benefactor with excitement as he smiled.

"T-That... that was incredible, Adatani'i! It was like... like I felt a surge through my whole body. Everything felt light and... and... I can't describe it!" Miera said exuberantly.

"Hmhehe... Indeed. It is something else. Now come. You're in for even more of a treat."

Her benefactor "Ishmael" motioned to her to follow as he approached and unlocked the plain looking door with a small key with a complex, jagged-edged design that she didn't recognize. They stepped through the threshold, and Miera continued walking as Ishmael close and locked the door behind them.

She found the construction her surroundings to be very reminiscent of some of the Empire's cities she had visited with her benefactor. Even the city of Kesavine compared, despite its obviously smaller size. But that wasn't what caught her attention as her eyes widened. What caught her attention was the fact that the crowds were comprised of several different races in what seemed to be a public square of sorts.

There were humans of course, with them being the most numerous, but she could also spy various types of demi-humans she had only ever heard about. Rabbitmen with ears as long as hers that twitched slightly in the breeze. Deermen with humanoid shaped bodies, but hooved feet and magnificent racks of antlers that looked as if they could poke an eye out if they weren't careful. She even caught glimpses of orcs walking and talking as civilized as any of the humans she saw in the Empire.

But then she saw it... elves! A married couple holding a rather rambunctious little elven boy in each hand. The husband had long, chestnut colored colored hair, and was actually quite handsome. The wife and young boy hand similar hair coloring to hers, although it was slightly darker to hers. This all but confirmed what she learned in her travels with Ishmael: the Land of the Drake Riders was a multi-racial country.

Just then she felt the warm hand of Ishmael on her right shoulder, looking down upon her with a relaxed smile as he spoke in a matching tone of voice.

"Your eyes aren't deceiving you Miera, so you can stop ogling the crowd. Someone might take offense if you're not careful with all that staring."

"... Eh?... Ah!"

Miera let out an embarrassed squeak at his words and lowered her head in a sullen fashion. With a chuckle, Ishmael then patted her head and bade her to follow him as he started to walk down the street. It was filled with some residential areas, some markets, and then a pub called "The Drake's Nest", which her benefactor smoothly entered. As she continued to follow, she saw it was half-empty, with those relaxing on their off day.

The place was equal to a mid-class establishment in quality and was kept well clean, and ambient sound was comprised of little more than quite conversation and the subtle clinking of glasses and eating utensils. She had little time to look around, since without even stopping, her benefactor turned to the left and started to climb a flight of stairs to an upper floor.

As Miera followed she saw the upper floor had almost a dozen empty tables, save for one whose occupant was a female, feline-type beastman with white fur, and quite the considerably large bust. Miera winced in jealousy and envy as she mentally compared hers to the female beastman, but just as she was about to internally pout over it, she was struck with confusion as Ishmael walked toward the beastman.

All questions left her mind as she noticed the female beastman's eyes light up with not only recognition, but also delight upon seeing Ishmael. It was soon made obvious that they new each other as the female got up, approached, and addressed Ishmael in a familiar tone.

"Yo! Long tim' no see, 'Ishmael'!" The female beastman said with a grin and mocking tone.

"Heh. Yes, been a long time Ericah." Gabriel replied with a smirk and casual tone of voice.

"Aw, don' be like that.~ Come 'ere!"

With that declaration, the beastman now known to Miera as "Ericah", swiftly embraced "Ishmael" in a powerful hug, which was reciprocated. Although Ericah's was much more "friendly", as her hands wandered all over his form, until they settled on and squeezed his buttocks. Miera's eyed widened and her faced turned scarlet at the display as Ericah spoke in a jovial tone.

"Oh hoh! Dat' fine ass of yours is as firm as 'ver."

*SMACK!*

"Ah!~ So rough.~" Ericah yelped with a grin as Gabriel slapped her own hindquarters.

"Behave, Ericah. I've brought a guest." Gabriel firmed stated as he then stepped to the side to introduce the elf-girl standing red-faced and bewildered behind him.

"Allow me to make introductions. Ericah Sabine, this is Miera of the Elf Country. Miera, this is Ericah Sabine of the Land of the Drake Riders."

At the completion of introductions, Ericah gave a friendly and toothy smile, while Miera cleared her throat, and stepped forward to offer her hand. Ericah did likewise, but did so forcefully enough to deliberately make her large bust bounce underneath her loose fitting shirt. Since Ericah towered over Miera at At 6ft 11in (211cm), the display was rather difficult to miss.

Miera fought back the frown she felt coming on, from not only the jealousy she felt, but also the other female's shameless flaunting of her "assets". So she forced her budding frown into a smile, and shook hands with Ericah.

"Hello, Ericha. It's a pleasure to meet you." She said in a cordial tone.

"Yeah! Same 'ere... Oi. No need ta' be stiff. That's 'Ishmael's' job." Ericah said in a friendly manner and wink.

After they shook hands, it took all of a few seconds for Miera to pick up on the subtle innuendo, and once again she turned red-faced, all the way up to the tips of her ears. She lowered her head in embarrassment, and just as Ericah let out a jovial laugh...

*THA-WACK!*

"Owie!~"

Erich let out a yelp as Gabriel swiftly slapped her from behind the head. As she rubbed the sore spot with her left hand she turned to her right to face him with tears in her eyes. He was unmoved as he then sternly spoke up.

"I said behave, Ericah."

"Oh, alright. Yeeesh... Yur' not as fun as you were then."

"There's a time and place for everything, Ericah. This isn't one of them." He replied in a deadpan.

"Ah! A'right! I gotcha!... Hehe... Then...~ Wha' 'bout ta'nite'?" Ericah said mischievously.

To this, Gabriel smirked and replied in a confident and superior tone.

"That depends... Can you afford to spend the next day or two incapacitated in your bed?"

Ericah froze, and her legs seemed to momentarily tremble at the thought. It was a most unexpected reaction, but an appreciated one, as Miera stifled a giggle at the audacious female being silenced in such a way. Ericah then chuckled awkwardly as she nervously spoke up.

"Hehe... As much as I would love that, I hafta be back on duty day afta' tomorra'."

"Well, next time then. Huh."

"Aw... But there's no telling when that might..."

As they continued to casually converse, Miera was still red-faced over this turn of events. Especially when it had become increasingly clear they had "relations" in the past. She had seen her benefactor in the nude before, and she shook her head as her imagination started to run away from her at the thought of these two being "intimate". Just as she had banished those mental images from forming, she heard Ishmael's firm voice speak up as he turned to her direction.

"Well, that's enough of that for now. Time for the reason I'm here."

"Oh! Yes. I was wondering about that, Adatani'i. I do love traveling with you, but I was beginning to wonder why we came here." Miera said in curiosity.

At this, her benefactor became unusually serious as he gently rested his warm, right hand upon her left shoulder. She was unsure as to what was happening, and it made her nervous to see this sudden change in atmosphere. Sensing this, he sighed, smiled, and gently patted her on the head. It always amazed her how these simple actions could calm her as he then spoke.

"Miera, in less than a week, people that had been captured to be sold into slavery in the Empire will be arriving in this country to be freed."

It was such a simple sentence, and yet Miera felt her heart beat with such tremendous force, she thought it might burst forth from her chest. Thanks to "Ishmael's" efforts, the memories of her own experiences of being captured and nearly sold into slavery were fading ones. Although they still persisted, like a scar that remained from a deep wound, her time spent with her benefactor was like a soothing balm whenever it ached.

Though this time it was different, as she was quick to realize that just as he had helped her escape that fate, so too did he help these people. Everything became clear, as _this_ was surely the surprise he meant before they arrived. Joy, admiration, and a swirl of other emotions swelled within her as she leapt into his arms and gave him the strongest and most heartfelt embrace she could muster.

Ericah silently watched as the scene unfold, and smiled warmly. Unbeknownst to Miera, she had already been informed of Miera's past circumstances, and was expecting this type of a reaction. She closed her eyes and remained silent, as she knew that there was more to come.

Gabriel Meanwhile gently pulled Miera away, as she then looked up questioningly at him with confusion, but still with admiration and awe. He then gently spoke as he wiped the joyful tears from her eyes.

"I can understand your feelings Miera, but there's more to be said, so please listen."

"O-Oh. Alright, Adatani'i." She said, composing herself to give him her full attention.

"Good girl. Now then, while these people will be freed upon arriving here, that won't be the end of their journey. As you should know all too well, they will need help. They will need guidance. And these things must come from someone whom they can not only bring themselves to trust, but also from someone with an understanding of what they have been through. Someone who can help them adjust to their new lives here in this new country... You understand where I am going with this."

A few seconds passed, and Miera drew in a sharp breath as her eyes widened. She was an intelligent young woman, and had learned a great deal from Ishmael. So it did not take her long to realize what he was implying. Moreover, she was shocked that she was to take on such a responsibility. Although she have a desire in her heart to help others, she had doubts about her ability to do so. Then her eyes widened as another thought crossed her mind, and she spoke with trepidation clear in her voice.

"Adatani'i... Are you... Are you leaving me here?"

Her lower-lip quivered as he looked upon her forlorn expression, and gently stroked her soft cheek with the back of his left hand. Miera promptly grasped onto it with both hands as she leaned into it. Her grip was a tight, desperate one. Like she was afraid that he would vanish from her sight at a moment's notice. He then spoke in a comforting, gentle tone as he looked at her right in her fearful, purple eyes.

"Miera, I have a journey of my own that I must complete. Despite all I have taught you and gifted to you, it's one that I must continue alone..." Before he could continue, Miera interjected with a quivering voice.

"B-But why, Adatani'i? I can... you can..."

Before she get out another desperate word, calmly Gabriel placed an index finger on her lips to forestall further interruptions as he continued.

"It would be beyond irresponsible, to have you follow me where I know for certain you cannot follow. At least here, in the Land of the Drake Riders, you would have a home, people I know for certain you can trust to help you, and a purpose that I know you would find fulfilling. Before you ask, even if I could stay here, you would be better suited to help these people than I could."

As he finished saying his peace, he lifted his index finger from her lips so she could say what was on her mind. To which she did not fail to do so.

"How can you say that, Adatani'i? Of course you could help."

"Perhaps, but let's be honest. Because I am human, you didn't trust me at first, right? Do you really think these people would trust me as readily as they would you?"

Miera winced and reeled from the question, and could not deny his logic and thinking. Even when her benefactor had saved her back then, she did not immediately trust him. Despite her own feelings, she realized that the same would apply to others. As if he was reading her thoughts, he continued with a soft voice and smile.

"Now that you understand, there are other things to consider. First, this wouldn't be goodbye. I'll be able to visit periodically, and Ericah here will be able to ensure that any letters you wish to send will reach me. Second, remember our talk about paying things forward?" **(A/N: Ch.12)**

"I... Yes. I do..." Miera replied contemplatively.

Her thoughts went back to that time, and she had to admit, it had stayed with her the whole time she had traveled with "Ishmael". She genuinely enjoyed those times they could help others. Like that village that they had saved together last night. Although she still felt some trepidation over another sudden change in her life, the prospect of being able to help those being freed from slavery was enticing to her. Still...

"Adatani'i, you'll come to visit, right?" She asked as she looked up into his eyes.

 _'Hehe. She looks like a cute daughter saddened that she has to move out of the house...'_ Gabriel thinks to himself as he smiles and then gently lays a warm hand on her head.

"Of course I will. That's a promise."

No other words needed to be spoken, as Miera threw herself into Gabriel, embracing him with all her might. He returned it with his own gentle hug as he tenderly stroked her soft hair. Miera did not want to leave his side, but knew that it was unavoidable, as she remembered her father telling her long ago that life often took people in different directions. Sometimes it couldn't be helped, but it didn't have to mean goodbye.

Realizing this, she slowly released her hold on him, and wiped away what few tears had formed in the corners of her eyes. Miera then smiled up at him as she spoke in a genial tone of voice.

"Thank you, Adatani'i. For everything. I'll make sure that these people get the same chance you gave me."

"Ah, I know you will... Vin'ethyær." Gabriel said affectionately as he patted her head.

Miera was enjoying the sensation of his warm, powerful hand patting her head one last time, when her ears suddenly twitched. She blinked several times as a look of confusion washed of her face, followed by shock, then by realization as her face reddened once more, and she hesitantly spoke.

"A-A-Adatani'i... Did... did you just speak ancient elven?"

Gabriel gave a mischievous smirk as he replied in a deadpan.

"Yeup."

"Then... All this time, you knew ancient elven?"

"Yeup."

"And then... you know... what... 'Adatani'i' means?" Miera asked in a quivering voice.

"Uh huh."

"Eeek!"

Miera let out a sound that was akin to that of a squeak, as her entire face turned cherry red from her ears to her cheeks. She covered her face with her palms, unable to face her benefactor due to the overwhelming tidal-wave of embarrassment. Meanwhile, Ericah snickered, and then outright laughing at the scene, as she then spoke jovially.

"Hahahaha! Ah, dragons! She's soooo adorable! Hah! Dunno what's goin' on, but this is too great! Hahahaha!"

"That's enough, Ericah. No need to make anymore of a scene about it." Gabriel calmly said as he turned to her.

What he said to Miera was ancient elven for "young one", and he had deliberately said it in such a way to ensure that their parting left on a lighter note. Although, he also half-expected this kind of a reaction, it was better than a teary one, or one with forced smiles.

"Hehe. Well, ya' don' hafta worry 'bout the cute elfy. I'll make sure she's taken care of while yur gone." Ericah said confidently.

"Thank you, Ericah. It's much appreciated."

"Aw, it's no problem. But ya' kno', the next time ya' visit, Imma' hopin' we'll get ta' have some fun.~ Yur' a man among men when it comes to ruttin'." Ericah said with a suggestive purr and grin.

"Hehe. All in good time. Besides, I'm sure you keep yourself well 'entertained' without me around." Gabriel said with a relaxed chuckle and smile.

"Hah! O' course!" Ericah proudly replied.

"Uh huh. Thought so. Just makes sure your 'conquests' have plenty eggs for breakfast." He said in amusement as he turned to leave.

"Hoh? So that's important, huh? A'right! I'll make sure ta' keep that in min'."

"Do so. In any event, I must be going."

"Gotcha. Take care!~" Ericah replied in an almost affectionate tone.

"..."

Miera remained silent as she then lifted her hands away from her face, and looked upon her benefactor's back. As if sensing her gaze on him, he lifted his left hand and spoke in a reassuring tone.

"Take care, Miera. You can trust Ericah as a friend and confidant, and know that this isn't goodbye. When the time is right, we'll see each other again."

Gathering up her resolve, Miera stepped forward and spoke with determination.

"Be safe, Adatani'i! When you come back, I would have made you proud."

Gabriel stopped for a moment, and slightly turned his head back. Though they could not see his face, his expression bore a pleased smile as he replied with a matching tone...

"You already have, Vin'ethyær."

With those final words, "Ishmael" left the establishment. Miera stood tall, resolute to make the most of the gifts and the chances her benefactor had given her. This would not be wasted. Just as she had contemplated this, Ericah gave her a friendly, albeit forceful pat on the back as she spoke jovially with all smiles.

"Aw, don' worry 'bout it elfy! He'll be back sooner or later. Just leave things ta' me. I'll be showing you 'round and gettin' ya' settled."

Miera pouted for a brief moment as she rubbed and rotated her shoulder. She found Ericah to be somewhat brazen, but also a bit endearing as well. Like an obnoxious big sister she never had. She found herself unable to complain as she lightly smiled. Though Ishmael was not around, his influence remained for the better. Although a thought then struck her as she blushed.

"Um, Ericah?"

"Yup! That's muh' name. Hehe. What's on yur' mind?" Ericah lightheartedly replied.

"Were you and Adat... I mean, Ishmael, um... close?"

"Ooooh~? I see... Curious, aint'cha? Hah! Not surprisin'. He's a great specimen. A female outta be blind or dead to not be curious." Ericah replied with a toothy grin.

"Wha?! That's not... I mean..."

Miera tried to say in a flustered tone, just to be interrupted by Ericah as she continued to pat her on the back like she was an old friend.

"Hah! Not ta' worry! I'll fill ya' in on all the juicy details soon enough. But first, drinks! After all, ya'can't have fun gossiping about attractive males sober. It's against tha' rules.~"

"Huh?! That makes no sense at all! Ooowah!~"

Miera sudden found herself being tripped into a nearby chair to sit at an empty table as Ericah joined her, still as friendly and nonchalant as ever.

"Ah, relax! You'll hav' plenty of time for all tha' serious stuff later. For now... Oi! Barkeep! Two of yur' finest over 'ere!"

"Yeah, yeah! Keep your shirt on over there, 'Cherry Picker'." A middle-aged human man groused below.

"O' course! I ain't drunk enough ta' take it off... Yet!~" Ericah retorted jovially, which elicited a sigh/groan of annoyance from the man below.

Ericah then turned back to Miera as she interlaced her fingers and then spoke in a much more casual fashion.

"So then, what would you like ta' kno' first?"

"... Heh... Huhaheha..."

Miera was dumbstruck for a moment, but then started to laugh in a relax manner. The feline beastman's unorthodox antics seemed to not only put her at ease, but also make her feel welcomed and at home. She couldn't help but feel endeared by it, since it was so unlike the behavior of anyone she had ever met, regardless of gender of race. She found it strangely refreshing.

"Thanks, Ericah. I think I'll never be bored with you around." Miera said innocently.

"Ah, no problem, elfy. I think you'll be just fine... Oh! And speaking of fine, you've seen 'Ishmael' nude, haven'tcha?"

"..."

Miera flushed pink and was shocked silent at the sudden question. She could only fidget as she looked away nervously.

"Hah! Knew it!" Ericah happily jabbed.

"I-It wasn't like that... It was a total accident!"

"Hahaha~! Right. A happy accident.~"

"Ah! You're impossible!" Miera exclaimed in a flustered tone.

"Yeup! Hahahaha!"

As the feline beastman continued to laugh at her expense, Miera could only smile as she too joined in on the laughter. She felt gratified at having quickly made a new friend, despite her antics, as well as the benefactor that had led her here to start a new life...

* * *

In a nearby alleyway, Gabriel walked with even strides as he seemingly reached a dead-end to the area. Then the dead-end shimmered, and the faded as if an illusion was torn down, revealing the beautiful, smiling form of Tamura as she bowed, clutching her silver-colored staff in both hands.

"My Lord Gabriel." She dutifully greeted.

"Tamura."

"Are you ready to return to the Keep, my lord?"

"Yes. It's time to return, and put things in motion." Gabriel stoically replied.

"Ah, very good. But if I may ask my lord, why not bring that young elf-girl with you? What you told her was not everything, was it?" The second-in-command of the Keep's NPCs asked in curiosity.

Gabriel did not immediate reply as he turned and lit a cigarette. He stared off into the direction he left Miera in as he inhaled a few drags, and then exhaled a few clouds of smoke in a sigh before replying.

"Indeed, Tamura. What I told her was only the partial truth. The fact is, I simply couldn't bring her to the Keep."

"My lord?" Tamura questioningly said with a confused head-tilt.

"You know her background as well as I do now. We still know so little at this point, but there's one thing I do know for certain. If I brought her to the Keep, and she saw the power and wonders at my command, she would ask... no, plead with me to intervene in her homeland's plight with the 'Slane Theocracy'. If she were to beseech me to do that, my heart would waver, and I would likely do just that. For now, that's something we cannot do. The potential consequences to disrupting the delicate balance of this weak world, nevermind those countries, is just too great." Gabriel finished saying with almost a pained voice.

Tamura did not say anything at first, as she well understood his reasons. This new world was weak and fragile when compared to the might of Dracon's Keep, and they all knew it. For that reason, her master ordered that all of their activities be as secret as possible, with only a few exceptions being made.

Involvement in a war would run contrary to his stated goals in staying out other nations' affairs. At least for the time being. Understanding the situation, Tamura simply nodded knowingly, and spoke in a soft, reassuring tone of voice.

"Please, do not worry, my lord. You did the right thing."

"Hmm... Perhaps..."

Taking a deep breath, Gabriel flicked his half-used cigarette into the air, which then disappeared into a small flash of green flame. He turned to Tamura and spoke in a calm tone.

"Let's go home, Tamura."

"By your command, my lord." She replied with a bow and pleased smile, as she then lifted her left hand.

"[Gate]"

A dark, purplish portal formed not a few feet from them, as Tamura bow and allowed her master entry first, as she then followed behind. The portal closed, with none in the area any wiser.

* * *

 ***A/N: Hey true believers! Sorry it took a while to get this out! A LOT of things kept on popping up that required my attention. Getting sick with the flu for one, and a work related trip today for another. Anywho! Personal issues aside, now that this is out the door, I'll be able to focus on my other projects a little bit now. Keep an eye out though. When the next chapter comes out, you'll be given a better look at Dracon's Keep and it's floors. After that, expect things to get a bit more interesting. Please feel free to leave your reviews/send PMs with your thoughts, feelings, and suggestions. Until then, everyone take care, and have a good one!***


	16. Chapter 16-A Day in the Keep:Part-1

**Chapter 16-A Day in the Keep: Part-1**

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor: Gabriel's Study**

Dressed in white and green formal regalia, edged in silver with a matching long-coat, Gabriel was sitting comfortably at the head of the conference table in his study, with a lit cigarette in his right hand as Walter and Tamura sat down. They each carried with them a [Crystal Tablet] in hand, as a slim homunculus maid with turquoise-colored hair laid one in front of Gabriel for him, with a reserved yet happy smile.

Other maids with otherworldly beauty and varied hair colors gracefully moved about, as they laid out tea and plates filled with an assortment of fruits and crustless sandwiches. The sandwiches had thinly sliced cooked meats, and a thin layer of melted cheeses that made one's mouth water from the mere aroma alone.

Once they had completed their tasks, they bowed and filed out of Gabriel's study, still maintaining that same grace and poise that would have been the envy of any noble lady of any kingdom. The last maid to leave the room closed the double doors so skillfully they barely made any sound at all.

The three remaining occupants of the room then slowly enjoyed the refreshments that was set before them. After a few minutes of this, and Gabriel spoke in a pleased tone.

"It seems the food stuffs from this world, grown and refined within the Keep is of good quality."

"Indeed, my lord!~ The quality of the original sources was rather low, but thanks to the higher quality soil, water, and nutrients found within the Keep, we've been able to produce much better results." Tamura happily chimed in.

"And you, Walter? What is your assessment?" Gabriel calmly asked.

"The results are... adequate, sir." Walter replied in a reserved manner as he lightly dabbed a napkin at his lips.

"Aw, now don't be like that Walter. Just admit that you enjoyed the 'fruits' of the Keep's labors." Tamura said with a mischievous smirk.

"..."

"My dear, puns are a crime against good etiquette." Walter replied with a blank expression.

While Tamura frowned at her comrade's lack of a reaction, Gabriel lightly smirked at her antics as he helped himself to a generous gulp of warm tea. As he set his marble-white tea cup lined with gold aside, he then spoke in a firm tone.

"Let's set that aside for now. With food production continuing apace, will we be able to provide for the Keep's population without having to dip into our reserves?"

"Of course, sir. In fact, we have already begun to build up a considerable surplus." Walter professionally replied, with Gabriel nodding regally.

This was a massive relief for Gabriel. From the beginning he was worried about being able to provide for the Keep's extremely sizable population. Between the POPs, custom NPCs, and decorative NPCs that had become real, the estimated number of living NPCs in the Keep, not including animals and monsters, had topped out at 223,700. This included combat, support, and even "civilian" type NPCs. He fought off a groan as he thought to himself on the matter.

 _'Oh, fer' cryin' out loud... While I'm glad I included a "population census" in my previously written instructions, somehow knowing the exact number gives me even more of a headache... I'm even more thankful that the Keep ended up where it did. Dealing with this mess without ANY outside help would have been an even bigger pain in the ass...'_

In the game, the cost of maintaining living NPCs was covered by the application of YGGDRASIL gold coins. This was due to living NPCs needing certain necessities like food, drink, and rest. So guild-bases like Ainz Ooal Gown's Nazarick, whose NPCs mostly did not require such things, were extremely cheap to maintain. On more than one occasion, his love Alisha used IRL money to finance the guild, due to those maintenance costs. As an anti-PKer guild, the Dragon's Inquisition did not quest for resources and treasure as often as most others did after all. So it became a bit of a necessity.

Gabriel found that as far as the NPCs were concerned, their food stuffs were partially maintained through renewable sources on the 5th and other floors. Like fruits from trees, Koi Fish, and other animals that "respawned", with the appropriate application of YGGDRASIL coins. However, much to his amazement he also found that they believed that their resources was also sustained through commerce and trade, and they had memories of trading with friendly guilds like the Millennium Kingdom, the Lunar Dragon Empire, the Kitty Kingdom, World Searcher, and Avalon.

To him it was yet another case of how influential that written lore and backgrounds were to the NPCs, and to himself, as he discovered his avatar's written lore became real, despite the merger with his real body. Something he wanted to research further, but he had more pressing matters to attend too.

"Hm... Alright, moving on. Now Tamura, as far as raw resources, where are we?" Gabriel said as he taps on his [Crystal Tablet].

"Yes, my lord. Mining the surrounding mountains has been very successful. We have built up large stores of materials up to adamantite. Still no sign of anything beyond that though. We have also built up vast quantities of valuable gems. Well, valuable to this world. Although, we have made an interesting discovery."

"Oh? What have you found?" Gabriel asked in curiosity.

"Well, we found a sizable deposit of an ore called, 'white iron'. As this ore is not in our records, we can reasonably conclude that it is native to this new world. From the information gathered from the Drake Rider Country, this mineral seems to be a rare and special one, and highly sought after by dwarves for its special properties in being readily enchantable with magical energies. The information also indicated that it is used by smiths to forge all manner of special items. Refined white iron is purported to be nearly as good as mythril, depending on the type of item or weapon crafted, and the method used to refine it.~" Tamura eagerly concluded.

Tapping his chin in thought, Gabriel found himself intrigued and encouraged by this new information. One thing that had constantly concerned him, was maintaining the Keep's stores of ores. Although their supplies were considerable, they were not infinite, and he was thankful that he had instituted these mining projects.

It was best not to dip into their stores unless absolutely necessary. Stocking up on even the low-level materials up to adamantite would be helpful. Though this discovery of a new ore like this "white iron", that could be used in item creation was an encouraging one.

 _'With the Drake Rider Country as an ally, commissioning them to create items should not be a problem. After all, the item creation process here is vastly different from that of YGGDRASIL...'_ Gabriel idly thought.

"That actually reminds me of something. How are our efforts in replicating potions from this new world?"

"Quite well, sir. Our own herbalists were able to utilize the knowledge of potion making from this world to great effect. We have even managed to make some improvements upon them." Walter said with a reserved smile.

"Oh? Elaborate." Gabriel instructed, encourage by this development.

"Yes, sir. First, since the ingredients are herbs, we have been able grow them ourselves on the 5th & 7th-floors. The superior soils and environments, aided by our druids, dryads, and treants, have yielded herbs of a much greater quality than those of the outside world. After that, it was simply a matter of our herbalists applying what we had learned. Of course, they were able to make significant improvements to the potion creation process. None the least of which, the purification processes used."

Gabriel listened intently as he scrolled through the information on his tablet. He already knew that potions in this world were made via herbs that were then ground, processed, and mixed in alchemical solutions and magic. A process that was vastly different from YGGDRASIL methods, and he was silently thankful he had NPCs with levels in herbalism as he glanced through his tablet. That way, using this knowledge became viable.

"Have you been able to determine how the performance of these [Blue Potions] have been improved?" Gabriel asked thoughtfully, with Tamura happily answering.

"Yes, my lord.~ Our own [Blue Potions] are 40% overall more effective and efficient than the standard ones in this world. We are still looking into ways to improve this, but I fear we may have reached its limits."

"I see... What about the 'shelf-life' of these potions? Have we been able to find a solve for that?"

"Only partly. We've been able to mitigate the decay of the potions by about 6 months. We are still making progress, and should be able to extend that even more. Although it shames me to say, the reason we may be able to do this, is due to the research of that filthy creature you defeated, my lord." Tamura says ruefully. **(A/N:Ch.7 &12)**

The expressions of both Walter and Tamura soured at the mention of the creature their master had defeated. Noticing this, Gabriel let out a soft sigh as he spoke in a stern tone to move the conversation further along...

"That brings up another matter. Has there been any success in the reproduction of the [Mana Potions] found in Bwynleah's research facilities?"

This drew Walter's attention, as he cleared his throat and replied in a formal manner.

"Ahem... Indeed, sir. It took a bit of doing, but we were able to find a way to create our own variant of what she had produced and described in her grimoires..."

As Walter was about to continue, Gabriel lifted a hand to halt him so he could speak.

"... Could you describe this process in a fairly simple fashion?"

"Ah, of course, sir. Simply put, the creation requires a living magic caster of any race as a part of the process. The magic caster then channels their MP, or mana, onto a single point, and into an alchemical solution of a _very_ specific make. The solution is charged with and then altered by the mana. Once this is done, the power then takes form and settles into this..."

Walter pauses as he motions to Tamura, who then reaches into the pocket dimension of her [Inventory], and pulls out a potion vial and places it upon the table. Outwardly it had similar appearances to that of a [Minor Healing Potion], but with many stark differences.

The crystalline bottle was edged with a silver-colored material instead of gold, the cap was a glowing sapphire-blue instead of crimson-red, and the liquid that slowly swirled within it was a radiant, glowing azure-blue that had a near hypnotic hum to it. Like a beautiful song that was just outside one's range of hearing. Within the liquid itself was uncountable bluish-white crystalline particulates that gleamed like the stars in the sky.

For a moment, Gabriel was frankly memorized by the resplendence of a real, honest to goodness [Mana Potion] that now laid before him. He grinned as he idly thought to himself...

 _'This is something that no one in YGGDRASIL thought possible, and yet here it is. Oh, the number of people that would have salivated over this in the game. Even Alisha would've been squealing like an excited teenager over this. Heh... Momonga too. He would have flipped his bony lid... Huh. This isn't a game anymore, and yet this fills me with a ridiculous sense of accomplishment. I guess I now know what the members of "Seraphim" felt like when they supposedly made these in the game...'_

Gabriel chuckled and lightly shook his head over his inner reverie, confusing the two NPCs before he spoke up again.

"Excellent work you two. This is truly an accomplishment. I imagine that working out the methods to creating this couldn't have been easy. As I understand it, mana in its natural state is an intangible, ethereal energy." Gabriel states with a proud tone.

"Oh! Indeed, my lord. Some of our first attempts were rather... um..." Tamura replied, and paused, seemingly hesitant in completing her sentence, until Walter interjected.

"Sir, I believe the word she is looking for is, 'explosive'." He said in a plain tone.

"Walter~!" Tamura exclaimed in an exasperated manner.

"My dear, our Lord Gabriel does not need us to find a 'delicate' way of phrasing the failed experiments." Walter replied with a light smirk.

"Huh. Indeed. And pray tell, how many of these 'failed experiments' occurred?"

Gabriel asked the question in an empty tone as he narrowed his vision. It was akin to the look a parent would have as they would stare down a child that had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Tamura lightly swallowed, as it became clear she felt _awkward_ by the sudden shift in atmosphere. She briefly pouted and glared at Walter, whom bore an amused expression, before she replied in a defeated tone.

"Um, my apologies my lord. I-I did not wish to worry you. Indeed, our first... um... ten attempts, did not work out well."

"Oh, fer'... Please tell me there weren't any fatalities." Gabriel said with a sigh and fatigued tone.

"Oh, no my lord! Certainly not. There were a few injuries, but nothing that could not be healed." Tamura quickly replied.

"Well, at least there's that... Wait. Who did you assign to the initial attempts?" Gabriel asked with a raised brow.

"Ah, that would be the Guardian of the 3rd-Floor, Astraea Christine Amell."

Gabriel's expression was akin to a blank deadpan as he took on a distant stare, before then speaking in a matching tone.

"Let me get this straight. You handed a delicate task over to someone, who _specializes_ in blowing things up. Am I understanding this correctly?"

"I... um... Yes, my lord." Tamura meekly replies.

After letting out a fatigued sigh, Gabriel closed his eyes, tilted his head to the side, and a loud "crack" was heard as he popped a crick in his neck. After a moment of silence he flicked his now spent cigarette, which disappeared in a flash of emerald flame, lit a new one, and then breathed in a few puffs before he spoke in a seemingly calm tone.

"Let me guess... You selected her based on the fact that next to you, she has some of the highest reserves of mana, and has one of the best mana recovery rates. Correct?"

"I... Yes, my lord. That was my thought, since the process requires a living magic caster to supply, control, and focus the mana to be 'captured' within this potion." Tamura said in a relieved tone.

Feeling slightly more at ease by her master's correct evaluation of her motives, Tamura seemed a bit more relaxed. Walter was still slightly amused by the awkward moment, while Gabriel wore a pensive expression as he thought to himself...

 _'While the idea makes perfect sense, R &D is still relatively new to some of them. They will need instruction on how to properly set up a process of safety and experimentation. Not to mention closer oversight over their activities...'_

"Well, at least no one got hurt, and I'm sure that this provided invaluable experience to Astraea in regards to mana focus and control... Still, from now on, I want a greater degree of oversight and safety precautions made on ANY, R&D efforts. Is that understood?" Gabriel firmly stated.

'"Yes, my lord!"' Walter and Tamura both said in unison with a head-bow.

Gabriel seemed satisfied with their reply as he then tapped some entries upon his own [Crystal Tablet]. After doing this for a few minutes, he then turned his attention back to them.

"Good. Now then, when can these new [Mana Potions] be tested?"

"Oh! Actually, I have already completed testing of these new potions my lord, and I have discovered many fascinating things." Tamura declared in a proud tone.

"Truly? Then by all means. Tell me what you've found." Gabriel said as he perked a brow.

"Yes, my lord... For one, we have discovered that while this solution is charged with mana, it must be consumed immediately upon opening. Otherwise, the contents just... evaporates into the ether."

"Hmm... I see... So if one of our people wanted to use one, and they were somehow interrupted, or the vial knocked out of their grasp, it would be rendered useless right then and there. So being able to use a [Mana Potion] requires at least a few seconds of respite..." Gabriel thoughtfully mused aloud, before Tamura continued.

"Yes, my lord. One last thing to note is that while this [Mana Potion] does restore mana to a subject, depending on the strength of the magic caster in question, the amount of mana restored can vary. As a lvl-100, my stores were replenished by roughly 25%."

"Huh... I see. So the stronger the magic caster, the less mana restored. Still, the ability to replenish 25% of your mana is a game changer in a fight involving magic... By the way, since it's obvious that you took the potion yourself in order to test it, I assume that you had yourself thoroughly checked out by the Head Doctor?" Gabriel said in a neutral tone.

"Oh, of course, Lord Gabriel. In fact, I waited until I was actually within the Sanctuary of Ianuaria's infirmary before testing it. I even had Walter and Charon accompany me. Just in case I had any negative reactions. She determined that the potion was safe for use, and has no ill side-effects." Tamura said in a pleased tone.

"Well, I'm glad for that, although I'm sure she gave you a stern talking to about talking an entirely new potion like you did." Gabriel said matter-of-factly.

"Ah, yes... She did, my lord." Tamura said with a look of discomfort on her face.

"Hm. Good. Well, I'm just glad to see you took those precautions. So then, how did you safely drain your mana to test the potion?" Gabriel asked in curiosity.

"I took my leave to the 5th-floor, and at first used various spells to quickly use up my mana, but I made a very interesting discovery when I used my summoning spells. I discovered that in this world, my mid-tier golem summons can be made permanent, using some kind of physical medium." Tamura stated in a delighted tone.

"Really? How did you come across this exactly? And what have you discovered about the results?" Gabriel asked, his interest now piqued.

"It was a complete accident, my lord. I cast the spell in a random direction, it took root in a nearby crystal formation, and within just a few seconds, a lvl-40 Crystal Golem had emerged. That was 10-days ago. I repeated this with other types of materials, ranging from wood, stone, iron, and even adamantite. All successful. It also appears that the material itself will have a direct influence on its strength, durability, and capabilities."

"Hmm... I see..." Gabriel thoughtfully mumbled.

He remained silent for a moment as he took in the occasional puff of his cigarette, with eyes darting to and fro. Neither of the NPCs spoke up, clearly seeing that their master was deep in thought as he proceeded to make some notations upon his tablet. Only after a few minutes had passed did he look up and address them again.

"This information will be most useful in the future. Good job discovering this, Tamura."

"Oh, thank you, Lord Gabriel. It's most gratifying to hear those words." Tamura said with a pleased tone as she gave a servile head-bow.

"You are welcome. Now then, on to other matters. You've had over a month now, so I'm assuming that Bwynleah's research possessed more than just potions, based on the last report I received." Gabriel professionally stated, with Walter likewise replying.

"Indeed, sir. It appeared that much like ourselves, she was taken aback by how weak the scrolls of this world were, and sought ways to improve upon them. As you know, the methods of scroll creation employed by this new world are quite different, and are at times incompatible with ours. This has continued our limiting factor of having a surplus of quality scroll parchment. Thankfully however, the punishment handed down to that traitor Ohrly'ress Ailouros has helped to mitigate these issues." **(A/N:Ch.8 &9)**

Gabriel grimly nodded at the reminder. If he had to be honest, he was no longer as filled with anger, rage, and disgust as he was back then. Despite feeling a tinge of it still persisting, a part of him was filled with regret at the decision he made. He was even considering just killing the traitorous Frost Dragon and being done with it, but as he looked though his tablet, and saw the massive surplus of [Dragonhide] collected, he stayed his hand for the time being.

In YGGDRASIL, [Dragonhide] could be used to fashion high-level spell scrolls of various types, for various tiers. So then, a system was established where low-leveled scrolls would be commissioned and produced within the Drake Rider Country, while the higher-leveled ones are produced within the Keep only as needed.

The [Dragonhide] taken from Ohrly'ress Ailouros ensured that they would not dip into their reserves, but it was still a limiting factor. Research into creating new types of parchments were underway, but it had yet to bear fruit.

"So then, I take it that monstrous witch Bwynleah found her own solution to the issue?" Gabriel asked in a deep, albeit neutral tone.

"Indeed, sir. She found a most... unorthodox method of improving her scrolls, beyond simply using higher quality parchments. She created a method where a secondary magic circle was inscribed onto the scroll, and once a magic caster pours their mana in to activate it, it can actually boost the ability of the scroll itself in a similar fashion to a meta-magic buff. So the caster is using only the amount of mana necessary to enhance the spell already sealed within the scroll. It's actually rather fascinating." Walter said in a plain, reserved tone as he pushed up his glasses.

"Hm... It is indeed, Walter. Tell me, what did she call this method, and can we somehow adapt it for use?" Gabriel asked as he put out his current cigarette.

"Yes, sir. Our translation items seem unable to give a clear, direct conversion of the term she used, due to the nature of the script. The best approximation we could give it would be a [Sigil]. A type of magically-based writing, whereupon mana is used to stimulate and activate an array to invoke a specific type of spell. While we have found that it can be used to enhance preexisting scrolls made using this world's methods, a scroll made using our methods seems to reject the [Sigil]. The Head Librarian is continuing research, but given the results, Tamura and I believe they are inherently incompatible." Walter concluded with an analytical tone.

After nodding in acknowledgement, Gabriel makes more notations on his tablet, before setting it aside and speaking once again.

"Anything else of note that was discovered in her labs before we move on?"

Tamura nods as she replies to Gabriel's query.

"Yes, my lord. Despite that filthy creature's nature, she was surprisingly studious and learned. She collected and hoarded knowledge and histories of all sorts. Some of which I'm ashamed to say was quite fascinating, while others were quite disturbing." Tamura said with a lost expression that easily conveyed her complex feelings on the matter.

"Go on, Tamura. Start with what you found so, 'fascinating'." Gabriel said in a calm tone.

"Yes, my lord. Well... she made several entries in her research notes about other systems of magic that exists beyond [Tier Magic], and even the [Blood Magic] that you have in your body." Tamura said in an encouraged tone.

"Oh? Please continue." Gabriel said with an attentive tone.

For a moment Tamura smiled happily to see that she had her master's rapt attention, and remembered from her creator Alisha that Gabriel always had a curiosity regarding magic. So despite the source of the information, she was more than willing to share what they had obtained.

"Yes, my Lord Gabriel. Well, other than the aforementioned magic systems, it seems she was aware of others. Of particular interest, was a magic system she found to exist in this world called, [Wild Magic]. You may recall the information we had obtained about it from the Drake Rider Country."

Gabriel simply gave a nod as confirmation as he considered her words, and knew that it was the ancient magic of dragons in this new world. It had apparently existed before the introduction of [Tier Magic] hundreds of years ago, and used the power of souls and soul energy in order to cast spells, instead of mana. It was this point that caught his attention, since his [Emerald Flames] were quite similar in how they behaved.

This was due to the fact that the power of his flames were of the soul, and made manifest through his will and emotions. Something he became acutely aware of as he retrained to use and control it. How it felt like the power flowed through and outward from his very soul was a sensation he would never forget. As he pondered on this, Tamura continued her briefing.

"As it happens my lord, she was particularly fearful of it, and her journals noted that while its use was limited to the 'Dragon Lords' of this world, and their blood relations, she seemed to be aware of other magical arts similar to it, that was made use of by demons..."

Perking a brow at her words, Gabriel quickly thought on the matter before Tamura continued.

 _'Huh. Not really surprising that demons exist outside of YGGDRASIL, like the dragons of this world. I've got my own experiences to verify that much...'_

Just then, Tamura continued her briefing, as she picked up on her master understanding and accepting the information.

"... According to the information decoded from Bwynleah's notes, there are demons that have their own magic, to which she referred to as, [Dark Arts]. The details aren't clear, but what she knew is that it was a form of magic that is used typically by powerful demons. However, she described it as a form of magic normally used for selfish, self-serving and/or nefarious purposes. She did not try to classify it as 'evil' magic, but she was quite the twisted creature, as she spoke of the deaths, abuse, and torture of innocents as it were a hobby..."

Pausing briefly, Tamura gnashed her teeth slightly in disgust, before then composing herself, and continuing the briefing.

"Ahem! My apologies, my lord. On the subject, [Dark Arts] tends to focus more toward destruction, harming, cursing, and otherwise complicating other's lives, while advancing the user's own state. This can apply to friend or foe alike, and can be used to affect changes to a being's physical state, or it's very nature. The energy used is that of souls linked to the user. At least, we think so. The texts aren't clear on this, but what we do know is that while Bwynleah coveted this power, she had no means of accessing it. She also spoke of angels having abilities that were similar, yet opposite, but she lacked any interest in the subject, and made very few references to it. These powers did not exist in YGGDRASIL, much like [Martial Arts], [Talents], [Runecraft], and [Wild Magic] of this new world. It all but confirms she is from another realm entirely. What kind we still do not know. She was rather vague about her origins in her notations. All we do know at this point is that her kith exists in a dark realm that functions as a prison for their race." Tamura concluded.

The NPCs waited for Gabriel's reaction while he seemed to take in the new information and was making several different notations on his own [Crystal Tablet]. He was actually fascinated by certain aspects of the new information. Just as he was when he learned of the more unique abilities and powers that existed in this new world.

While he deeply regretted the pain and suffering that monster Bwynleah caused, he was thankful for his luck in arriving in a part of this world where he could quickly gather the information that he did. There were still gaps that needed to be filled, but thanks to his recent "deal" with Leol Furt Rymune in the Baharuth Empire, those gaps would soon be filled. Which then reminded him of another matter... **(A/N:Ch.14)**

"If that is all regarding that topic...?"

Both Walter and Tamura nodded in the affirmative as a reply as Gabriel continued.

"Then the next item, sending off our agents to explore and infiltrate the various nations of this continent. I assume that with the help of those we had captured and 'employed' from Rivka's estate, we will be ready to do so?"

"Yes, sir. They have been extremely cooperative, and eager to assist. The sincerity of which has been thoroughly confirmed, of course. We shall be ready to send out our new operatives within the following week." Walter proudly proclaimed.

"Ah, I see... Excellent news. Well then, if there is nothing else?..." Gabriel asked in a relaxed tone.

At his query, an unusual silence reigned between the two NPCs. It was a look Gabriel was very familiar with, despite how well they hid it. It was the silence of curiosity. The kind one had when questions festered beneath the surface. Perking a brow, Gabriel decided to address it.

"Is there something on your minds you two?"

Walter and Tamura looked at each other in a moment of uncertainty, before Tamura then spoke up in a soft tone that reminded him of a timid girl.

"Well my lord, if your previous offer is still available, Walter and I were wondering if you could share with us things we have been wondering about Lady Alisha."

A pleased smile of appreciation and contentment spread over Gabriel's lips as he slightly lowered his head with closed eyes. He wondered how long it would be before a question like this came up, and he was amused at how quickly they had seized at the opportunity to ask. Moreover, he was also curious to know what his late love Alisha had told them. Sure, he could simply order them to tell him, but given the circumstances, he knew that was not the correct way to go about things.

"Of course it is, Tamura. Ask me whatever you wish." Gabriel said with a light smile as he lifted his head, and lit another cigarette.

"Oh, thank you Lord Gabriel. We are both truly grateful." Tamura happily exclaimed as she and Walter took a head-bow.

When they recovered from the gesture, Tamura then asked her question in a tone that was both inquisitive and confused.

"Well, if I may my lord, Lady Alisha once spoke of a time where your lordship and she had a heated debate. About what we are unsure, but what we recall runs counter with what nearly all of the Keep's population remembers about your union. It's been hailed as nearly perfect and idyllic. Perchance, could you shed some light on this my lord?"

"..."

There was nothing but silence for a moment as the NPCs sat rigid, thinking that they had somehow angered their master. But then, there was... chuckling?

"Eh, heh. Hehe. Hah! Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Then laughter. Full on, unrestrained bully laughter as Gabriel's cool, calm, and stern exterior seemingly vanished in the wind, and was replaced with levity and merriment. Far from angering their master in delving what was by rights a private, sensitive affair, he seemed the exact opposite. As he calmed down from his laughing fit, wiping away a single tear, he then spoke in an amused, light tone.

"Hahaha... Ah, yes. THIS topic. This might surprise you two, but you are not the first to think so. Indeed, we were a good couple, and for the most part we had any issues nailed down tight. But still, even we had problems, despite our 'bond' with each other."

"T-Truly, sir?" Walter asked, showing only slight signs of shock that he skillful hid.

Tamura grinned at seeing Walter's stony façade crumble ever so slightly, as Gabriel then continued to speak in a nostalgic, happy tone.

"Oh, yes indeed. Despite how 'perfect' we seemed, even we had our moments of dispute and disagreement, just like any other couple. Granted, they were few and far between, but when they did happened, our verbal battles were legendary! Hah! I swear we could have torn the paint off walls with those arguments, and I have to admit, a part of me enjoyed them..."

"Enjoyed them my lord?" Tamura asked with a confused head-tilt.

"Hehe. Does that sound strange? She was a very serene and kind individual, so getting into a heated discussion with someone like that was rare, but held a certain thrill. And she was skilled orator, so winning most arguments by talking in circles around me was a common feat for her. So in order to be able to stand my ground on a topic, I had to be twice as willful and stubborn as her. As a matter of fact, there was one occasion where we were so wrapped up in our own little world arguing about something, neither us noticed that we had attracted an audience."

"An audience, sir?"

"Yes. Once we were busy having verbal warfare with each other, we both had failed to notice that Jon had let himself into our private quarters with Julia, Draconis, and Artorias in tow." Gabriel said with a self-deprecating grin.

"L-Lords Jon and Draconis, and Ladies Julia and Artorias saw this exchange?" Tamura asked in shock, as both her eyes and Walter's widened to the size of saucers.

"Hah... Indeed, they did. Since they emitted no hostile intentions, and we were so into our ' _discussion_ ', those jackasses simply pulled up some seats, and made themselves comfortable, while they all watched us yell at each other in the ancient vampiric language like it was a show. Hah... Ah, by the time either of us noticed them, Draconis had a ridiculous grin on his face, and said something to the effect of, 'Oh, please, don't stop now. It was just getting good!' Hah! That cheeky kid. Still, that ended up deflating the whole argument, and neither of us won out in the end. We were too busy being laughed at, and laughing with them to even care."

As Gabriel finished his explanation, warmth bathed the inside of his chest remembering the events in question. It was a fine memory. He could not even remember what they were arguing about that evening, but none of that mattered in the end. Just as he was becoming absorbed into his own inner reverie, he noticed confused looks on the faces of his NPCs.

"Something the matter?"

"O-Oh, it's nothing my lord. Just... well... I do not mean to contradict you, but referring to Lord Draconis as a 'kid' is a little confusing, since as far as we are aware, he was several thousand years old." Tamura replied a small measure of hesitance in her voice.

A light, knowing smirk creased the left side of Gabriel's mouth as he flicked ashes in a nearby tray, and then inhaled another buff from his cigarette as he mused to himself...

 _'Heh... I was so wrapped up in my own reminiscing, I nearly overlooked what they "really" know. Nuts... Hmm... Given what we have found out about the "Six Great Gods", "Eight Greed Kings", and others from the Drake Rider Country, I may be able to craft a believable cover story to make up for this little blunder...'_ Gabriel finished thinking before he spoke in a teacherly tone.

"Well, that is only part of the truth, Tamura. You see, the flow of time is distorted and convoluted between different realms. A single day could pass in one realm, while an entire year can pass in another. When I first met Draconis, he was but a young orphan Alisha and I had saved from the streets by chance. He was an angry child, beating up on teenagers two, maybe three times his size when we found him. We took him in, and he became one of Alisha's acolytes. We raised him, trained him, and by the time he and his wife had traveled to YGGDRASIL, and had founded Avalon together, they both grew well beyond their beginnings. Still, despite that, as one of those who had found, raised, and trained him, he'll always be that cheeky, redheaded kid to me." Gabriel said in a warm tone, as a distant smile came over his countenance.

While his NPCs had expressions of surprise and understanding at his words, thoughts of his old friend filled Gabriel with many fond memories as he recalled times past. He was much like Gabriel was in his youth. Angry at the world, resentful at life, and sought an outlet through expressions of violence to release his pain. That was before they happened upon him and saved him. Before he could give it more thought, Tamura's voice chimed in with another question.

"T-Then, if I may Lord Gabriel, when was the first time that yourself and Lady Alisha had an argument?"

Smiling in a whimsical manner, Gabriel chuckled as he leaned back in his seat and sighed before speaking.

"Ah, that would be right after we were married, and bonded to each other."

The NPCs were stunned at the revelation, and even the normally stone-faced Walter was once again taken aback. Tamura as usual was more open with her shock, and simply nodded as Gabriel then continued his explanation.

"Hehe... To put it simply, when the ritual was completed, and we become bondmates, it also included a part where for a moment, she could freely manipulate my physiology, and make some 'improvements'."

"I-Improvements, my lord? What kind?" Tamura asked with rapt curiosity.

"Oh, the usual. Since I was a young, 'weak' human, I was gifted with increased strength, speed, stamina, agility, regeneration, and growth potential. Then there were other things like my senses, and of course my ' _size_ '." Gabriel said with a chuckle as he glanced down towards his groin.

It did not taken long for the pair to grasp the implications, and while Tamura blushed profusely, Walter cleared his throat and maintained his composure as he spoke in a dignified manner.

"I see, sir. Then I take it that the Lady neglected to inform of her intentions, and your younger self was quite cross with her."

"An astute observation, Walter. Yes, despite some of the 'benefits' that it entailed, she failed to tell me all of what she was planning to do. She felt I would not object, given what I was going to be blessed with. To make a long story short, I gave her a thorough dressing down about that. It actually caught her off guard at how angry I was, at how she didn't even ask for my input. I suppose you could say that was her weakness. Her being unable to deal with a situation when it involves someone close to her, when she is the cause of it. Although we had a heart-to-heart afterward, and she assured me that our bond made it, so that surprises like that couldn't happen. For my part, I was glad that we had that discussion. It showed we still had room to grow in our relationship."

At the end of Gabriel's explanation, the NPCs were left in awe. They had heard their creator's regrets, and a few of her insecurities from her, but whenever they saw her with Gabriel back in the meeting room in YGGDRASIL, they never saw even a hint of this. Indeed, they found many of their perceptions beginning to shift slightly, but for the better. To know that those they devoted themselves to had semi-normal issues to work through and rise above only deepened their loyalty.

A silence hung in the air as Gabriel smiled at them, and then he spoke again in a relaxed tone.

"Well, if there is nothing else, I'll be going for a walk."

"A... walk my lord?" Tamura asked in mild confusion.

"Yes. I would like to tour the Keep for myself, and it's also important for all to know that their master walks among them." Gabriel matter-of-factly stated.

Upon Gabriel's return to Dracon's Keep, to say it was met with joy and adulation would have been a gross understatement. Every NPC within every floor absolutely rejoiced at the return of their master, and the last remaining High Lord of Dracon's Keep. However, very few actually saw him, and he felt that to be a problem. It was his belief that leaders should walk with those that they lead, and show them a positive example.

As Gabriel thought on this he made a few more notations on his tablet. After he was finished, he then wreathed the object in his emerald-colored aura. As he let go of it, the tablet floated directly towards Walter and Tamura. The two were visibly surprised by the action as Tamura took hold of the object, and the aura faded from view. As if in response to the obvious question forming in her mind, Gabriel spoke.

"I've found that I can manipulate inanimate objects with my aura. Might be useful in the right situations."

"Oh, hoh. Indeed it could, sir. Perhaps as a surprise attack on an unsuspecting foe?" Walter says as he pushes up his glasses with a cunning smile.

"Hm. That it could, Walter. But that is a discussion for another time. As for the tablet, it contains additional instructions and tasks for you two to complete. I should be back here to review reports and to continue to sift through Alisha's records by the end of the day. That'll be all."

'"Lord!"' Walter and Tamura acknowledged in unison with heads bowed.

With that, Gabriel uses his [Guild-Ring] to disappear in a blue flash of light. After their master had left there was a stark silence that permeated the room, until it was broken by Walter.

"What shall we do if Lord Gabriel finds out when reviewing Lady Alisha's records?" Walter asks with a voice that carried a sort of restrained trepidation.

"Do not worry, Walter. I have already made arrangements. I will never forget the words of our Lady. Of how our Lord Gabriel, if incensed, his fury is akin to death incarnate. Something that _must_ be either avoided, or mitigated at all costs. I have witnessed this for myself, when those from the Land of the Drake Riders were fooled into coming here. Even now, the memory of Lord Gabriel's wrath, and the sorrow he felt after returning from his fury saddens me." Tamura finishing saying with a forlorn expression and tone. **(A/N:Ch.5)**

"Then let us hope our Lady did not leave evidence of the [Worlds' Gate] in her records." Walter said with a grave tone, as he and Tamura turned their attention to the tablet Gabriel had given them.

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 1st-Floor: Outer Castle Complex-1, Exit Arena**

Gabriel surveyed his surroundings after he reappeared in the middle of a circular, 30 meter (32.8ft) diameter arena. It was just as he remembered from the last time he was here. The walls and floors of smoothed out, polished stone construction, which had blue, wall mounted magic lanterns providing sources of light, with a clear, crystalline dome showing the outside world, was still quite a sight.

He teleported here to start his journey through the Keep, not bothering to tour the rest of it, for the simple fact that the 1st-floor was merely one large deathtrap. It was manned completely by NPCs that were combat golems of various types, and had traps ranging from nearly anything from poison gas, teleportation traps, magical traps, to even artificial environmental traps that could freeze intruders solid, or boil them alive.

The 1st-floor served as the first line of defense, comprised of a network of hallways, domed courtyards, meeting halls, towers, basements, and bridges over pits filled with anything from spikes, to dark waters filled with large, ravenous, and carnivorous fish that made Earth's piranha look like cute pet fish by comparison.

After giving his surroundings an approving nod, he pulled out a single YGGDRASIL gold coin, and casually started to flip it, letting fall in his open palm, and then repeating that process after noting which side it landed on.

Just then, Gabriel heard footsteps behind him, and turned to see the lvl-50 Automaton NPC creation of his friend Jon Tolbain Burton, Alfa Carlos-783 take a bow. **(A/N:Ch.9)** His shining yellow eyes gleamed as the light reflected off of them, and in his medium pitched, monotoned voice that was devoid of all emotion he addressed his master.

"Lord Gabriel. It is an honor, to welcome you, back home to your Keep."

"Thank you, Alfa. I assume that there isn't anything noteworthy to report on this floor?" Gabriel replied in an authoritative tone.

"No, my lord. All is, green." Alfa Carlos-783 replied in his monotoned voice.

"Hm. That's good to hear. Keep an eye on things. I'll be conducting a 'tour' of the Keep."

"By your command, Lord Gabriel." Alfa Carlos-783 replied with a bow.

As Gabriel smiled and nodded to the NPC, the massive light-green double-doors that served as the exit to the next floor opened for him, as if on cue by some unseen force. He briefly looked upon five the lvl-90 Golem/Automaton NPCs that acted as the floor's final line of defense, and then stepped through the threshold as the gates closed behind him with a thunderous crash.

* * *

 **2nd-Floor: Castle Complex-2, Security Section**

Now finding himself in a massive corridor, Gabriel continued walking with self-assured steps as he was flipping the YGGDRASIL coin in his left hand, and gazing at all of his surroundings as if inspecting them. The walls were made of shining, polished stone and quartz-like materials that reflected the soft cool-blue light cast from overhead magical lanterns. Decorating these walls were numerous metal "statues" of knights.

Of course, these weren't statues at all, but Golem Knights that would activate once a hostile invader or invaders had fully left the corridor, ensuring that they would be flanked from behind once additional defenders began their attack from the front. Gabriel chuckled as the memories of invading Players from the past complained about that particular trap.

He found it amusing that they would complain about not only falling for what should have been an obvious trap, but also at utterly failing to use any tactics in their invasions beyond relying on their numbers, abilities, and [Skills] to overwhelm opposing NPCs. Their general approach of "hit everything until it dies", was quite amateurish, although there were a few exceptions. He facepalmed when he then recalled that a similar approach was used to invade Nazarick a few years ago. Which failed spectacularly.

"Ugh. Idiots." Gabriel said with a whimsical sigh as he continued to flip the coin in hand.

His reminiscing came to an end when he emerged from the corridor, and gazed up upon the battlements that overlooked the large open area he found himself in. The beginning sections of the 2nd-Floor of Dracon's Keep, much like the first, was akin to a domed castle complex. One could see the outside world through the transparent crystalline materials, though no one was getting out by blasting the dome. Not without 10th-tier or above destructive spells. Though no invader ever thought to do that.

"ALL HAIL LORD GABRIEL ERIN DRACON! MASTER OF THE HIGH LORDS!"

Suddenly a chorus of praises from the battlements echoed throughout the area as various winged NPCs, wielding enchanted bows, crossbows, and throwing spears broke out in elated celebration. They ranged from avian-type beastmen, and winged humans. While on the ground, Human-Knights drew their swords, and held them up high in salute to their master. All of whom wore silver-colored armors.

The information gathered outside allowed Gabriel to know that most "normal" POPs in the Keep were equal to mythril, orichalcum, and adamantite ranked adventurers. In this weak world that would be devastating enough, if it weren't also for the fact that the POPs were also armed with magic items, armor, and weapons. To this world, they could be considered an army out of legends, if he was inclined to reveal them.

Thanks to the transfer, the 2nd-floor had fully equipped meeting halls, troop barracks, interrogation rooms, prison cells, kitchens, dining rooms, baths, and training arenas. Since the vast majority of the NPCs were of the living variety, it only made sense that they would have all the amenities they needed. Most of which were decoration, and like everything else, had became real after the transfer.

A few moments later, Floor Guardian Leona Sandra Etana **(A/N:Ch.8, full appearance)** , had gracefully descended to greet Gabriel with a bow. She then spoke with a smile and excited tone as her wings folded behind her back.

"My lorwd!~ I'm swo happy to see you!~"

"Hello Leona. I trust everything is in order?" Gabriel asked with a warm smile.

"Of corwse, my lorwd. Evewyone's been goowd, and all's been quwiet.~ Bwut...I would wove it if you were to have tea with me, Lorwd Gabriel." She said innocently.

"Hmm... I don't see why not. Lead the way." Gabriel replied with a soft voice and smile.

Leona hopped like an excited schoolgirl as she replied.

"Gwate!~ Just fowow me Lorwd Gabriel!"

With that her wings unfurled, Leona took flight and hovered approximately 10-feet (305cm) above the ground. In response, Gabriel stopped flipping his coin after taking note of which side it landed on. Pocketing it, and an emerald flaming aura then began to surround him as he lowered the palms of his hands towards the ground, and he mentally activated one of his newly learned abilities from releveling-up...

 _'[Emerald Levitation].'_

A burst of green flame erupted from Gabriel as he soared into the air after Leona, who then took the lead as they flew towards the tallest tower in the distance. Flying wasn't advisable in this area as far as invaders where concerned.

Environmental effects could be activated to fill the air with high-winds, hail, acid rain, and even lightning hazards that could easily strike them down. That was of course, if the winged archers and magic casters in the area didn't shoot you down first. Especially if they were blinded by thick blankets of fog and mist, and didn't have the needed countermeasures.

All the NPCs present were awed at the sight of seeing their liege-lord take flight in such a fashion for the first time. Some of which gossiped as their floor guardian and master sped away.

"Wow! By the Lady, I never knew Lord Gabriel could do such a thing!" A female Human-Knight exclaimed.

"Oh, hoh! Agreed! 'Tis a sight to behold my fair comrade!" A somewhat burly looking birdman with white and brown-coloring said as he touched down on ground-level.

"As expected of Lord Gabriel! Peerless might and radiance. Truly worthy of a man that Sir Touch-Me of the World Champions called friend." A young male winged human said.

"Aye! I wonder what they shall discuss in Lady Leona's tower?" A male avian-type beastman said.

"With any luck, the next heir to the Keep." A male Human-Knight nonchalantly chimed into the discussions.

"..."

"W-What?! What fallacious nonsense are you spouting?!" A female Human-Knight NPC angrily spat.

"Be at peace, comrade. Let us hear what he has to say. Go on. Tell us why you would think that." The burly birdman calmly said in his deep booming voice.

"A-Ahem. W-Well, with the Lady gone, and our Lord Gabriel the last of the High Lords of the Keep, perhaps our lord should sire an heir. That way, the Keep's future, and our sire's line would be secure." The male Human-Knight nervously says as his comrades listened with rapt attention.

There was absolute silence in the area as the various NPCs looked at each other, all with pensive expressions. Then a female Human-Knight looked up and addressed her fellows in a contemplative tone.

"I-If so, then who would be most suitable to be Lord Gabriel's queen?"

Though it was a simple question, it rocked all those present as if they had received a physical blow. The assembled groups of POP NPCs then shared hurried glances, as the question had them all now internally debating the topic. This naturally shifted to the Floor Guardians of Dracon's Keep, though there were collective chuckles at the thought of their own floor guardian talking on that role. Something none of them could seriously picture with a straight face as they chuckled...

* * *

 **3rd-Floor: Castle Complex-3, Mage's Sanctum**

Walking through a corridor that greatly resembled the ones on the 1st and 2nd-floors, save for the blue highlights in the smoothed out stonework, Gabriel continued to flip an YGGDRASIL gold coin. As he did so, a blue and white-colored cat was now following at his side. He had spent almost an hour having tea with Leona in her personal quarters, and to say she was an excited bundle of energy would not be the half of it.

She happily and cheerfully served Gabriel like a personal maid, doting over his every need while she bounced to-and-fro, in her especially girlie room with white and pink colors, that had quite the pleasant aromas. Of course, what struck him was the fact that he was greeted by a veritable menagerie of about forty house-cats, with an incredible spectrum of differing colors. All of which bowed to him almost simultaneously.

He would have balked at this, if not for the fact that her creator was a lover of cats, and had friends within another guild called, "Kitty Kingdom". A trait that was obviously passed onto her NPC creation. It also allowed him to recall that the cats in question were mere decoration with little more than written lore. And like many other things in the Keep, made real by the transfer. As the cat continued walking with him at his feet, he recalled that the lore settings had them described as "sentient" magical cats.

This explained certain odd sets of behavior he noticed. Such as the cats bowing to him like they did, and this particular one that continued to silently follow him when he mentioned his desire to "tour" the Keep. Not that he minded. Even though he wasn't fond of cats himself, the fact it was not an "ordinary" house-cat made some difference. Especially when it seemingly jumped over one of the many magical traps on this floor.

"There's no need for that. All traps have been disabled until they're needed." Gabriel calmly remarked with a soft smile.

The cat looked up to regard him with what could have been an expression of surprise, and then meowed with a head-bow. Gabriel chuckled at this as he recalled the layout of this particular floor. It's theme was that of a sanctum of magic casters of various types, and while there were melee POP NPCs for support, it mainly consisted of magic casters.

The magic traps that dotted the ground like mines would produce a number of different effects from teleportation traps, elemental explosions, and/or gravity effects. These would either suspend an intruder in the air, have them flown into and stuck to the domed ceiling above, flattened on the floor until they were either crushed or finished off by NPCs, or be made completely weightless, unable to control their own movements without counter-spells, [Fly] spells, or some other means.

Just as Gabriel was mentally going over the floor's defenses, two male, hooded and robed magic casters flew to his position, and landed directly in front of him. They wore white and green robes reinforced with drake-leather, and they each held a silver staff with a glowing emerald jewel on top.

Their features were mostly hidden, but they were both in their twenties, with one on the right having aqua-blue eyes, and the other having yellow eyes. They promptly kneeled before their master, before the one on the right spoke in a subservient tone.

"Welcome to the 2nd-floor, our Lord Gabriel. It is our honor to receive you."

"Hm. Thank you young man. You all do the corps of magic casters credit." Gabriel said in an encouraging tone.

"I-I... I'm honored beyond words, my lord!" The NPC hurriedly said, clearly taken by surprise by Gabriel's praise, while his companion looked as if he could shed tears of joy at any moment.

"Think nothing of it young man. Now then, do you know where I can find the 3rd-Floor Guardian, Astraea Christine Amell?" Gabriel softly asked as he continued to casually flip his coin.

At this question the NPC turned to his comrade, and jostled him with an elbow, snapping his attention to them as he spoke with conviction, despite his nervousness.

"L-Lord! I-I believe that Lady Astraea i-is in the, 'White Spire'."

Gabriel nodded sagely at the reply and smiled softly, which put the NPCs at ease. Much like Leona's tower called "Leona's Rest", that was above the gate to the 2nd-floor, the "White Spire" was much the same. It was a white tower that soared above the gate to the next floor like a sentinel. Any intruder that wanted to proceed would have to get past Floor Guardian Astraea, and her army of Knights and magic casters. It was a veritable fortress/palace in its own right.

"Hm. Very good. Then I will head there now. Continue the good work." Gabriel says in a pleased tone.

'"Yes, lord!'" The NPCs reply in unison.

Gabriel gives an approving nod, and walks past them, continuing to flip his coin with the cat in tow. As his back recedes in the distance, the NPCs stand and lower their hoods. The one on the right was a human with short light-brown hair, and the one on the left was an elf with long silver hair. They then begin to speak excitedly amongst themselves.

"D-Did you feel that Oswald?" The elf NPC asked nervously.

"Indeed I did Reviril! Lord Gabriel's very presence was powerfully oppressive. Verily, it would not be an exaggeration to say that if our lord so wished, he could squash us flat with a mere flexing of his power." The human NPC remarked in awe.

"And of course, he has such a... unique scent." The elf Reviril said, causing Oswald to tilt his head questioningly.

"His scent?"

"Aye. If I was forced to describe it, the scent is akin to the burning of air after a lightning strike, mixed with a rather natural masculine aroma that our liege-lord exudes..."

"Hmm... Now that you mention it, I too noticed that. The burnt air certainly, but none of the rest, though I did feel a tad lightheaded..." Oswald mused aloud as he cupped his chin.

"Hoh! Never underestimate the superior senses of an elf, my friend." The elf companion smugly replied.

At this jab, his companion Oswald smirked in a superior fashion as he replied in a matching tone.

"Oh, I underestimate nothing my friend. Least of all your rather obvious amorous reaction to our liege-lord's presence."

"W-W-W-Whatever could you b-be talking about?!" The elf NPC Reviril stammered out with widened eyes.

"Hehe... No need to be embarrassed my friend. We have been comrades in the same squadron for many a season, so I'm well aware of your 'preferences' for both the sexes. And you always seem shaken at the merest mention of our liege." Oswald says with a grin as his companion turns scarlett-red from the tips of his ears to his cheeks.

"I... Ahem! Do you think... Lord Gabriel noticed my unseemly behavior?" Reviril said in dejection as his head lowered.

"Oh, hoho. My friend, I think our liege scarcely cared to notice, so all is well." Oswald says with an amused chuckle, before then turning, and replacing his hood with a grin.

"Let us go, my friend. We still have patrols to conduct. We can laugh at your expense at a later date."

"A-Aye..." Reviril said meekly as he followed his flying comrade into the air...

* * *

 **3rd-Floor: Castle Complex-3, Mage's Sanctum, The White Spire**

Walking through the halls of the majestic and shining pearl-white tower that soared over the gate to the 4th-floor, Gabriel had to admit that he was amazed by the environs he was surrounded with. Spotless walls that looked as if mana ran through them like blood did through veins and arteries in a body, giving them an ethereal glow. These were the halls that promised great types of magical research were taking place.

Portraits of the many landmarks of YGGDRASIL, and of the High Lords of Dracon's Keep decorated the walls, along with various other types of artwork and statues that looked as if they had been carved by the very gods themselves. Towering shelves of books that, while small when compared to the Grand Library of Pergamum on the 8th-floor, was still a magnificent sight. Especially when in-game they were little more than decoration, but now that they were real, they held untold secrets of the arcane within.

Great magical laboratories were filled with crystalline beakers of various shapes and sizes, connected by a serious of glowing tubes and crystal apparatuses. Instruments of almost otherworldly make were strewn about on work tables of blue marble, and all working would have halted their efforts, if not for Gabriel's instructions sent ahead of time via the [Message] spell to not mind his presence unless directly addressed.

 _'I know they are just wanting to show their loyalty and all, and I am their master, but it gets tiresome having to deal with all the bowing and prostrating. Not to mention all the doe-eyes I've been getting. Especially from that elf POP at the entrance... Can't tell if Alisha or Felix is responsible for that. Although the odds are good that both of them are...'_ Gabriel idly thinks in annoyance.

As Gabriel was walking along, still followed by his silent feline companion, he flips his gold coin, and reaches a central chamber used for some of the more "dangerous" magical experiments. Just then he heard a slightly agitated, young female voice in the distance that was echoing off the walls.

"Hurry up you twit! Those potions need to be delivered to the Vice-Commander ASAP!"

"Yes, Lady Astraea! At once!" A young male voice replies as sounds of hurried footfalls are heard.

As Gabriel rounds the corner and enters a central chamber, he sees the back of the 14 year old stature of the Guardian of the 3rd-Floor, Astraea Christine Amell. **(A/N:Ch.8 f/appearance)** Sensing the presence of her master, she sharply whips around with a bright smile on her face. Taking a bow, she speaks with a respectful, yet happy tone.

"It's so good to see you, my lord! How might this one serve you?~"

"Be at ease, Astraea. I'm simply taking a tour of the Keep, and seeing how its people are doing... Hm?"

Just as Gabriel finished speaking, and Astraea rose from her bow, the blue and white cat that had been following him had jumped into the girl's arms, whom emphatically caught and embraced the purring feline.

"Pogo~! It's good to see you, silly kitty! Teeheehee!~"

Watching the display, a warm smile spread over Gabriel's lips as he lightly chuckled. Just then his attention was drawn to a strange apparatus with four arms curved upward and inward, meeting at the top with a shining diamond held in place.

An empty [Mana Potion] vial sat upon another glowing diamond that seemed to pulse with ethereal energy, and the frame of the apparatus itself seemed to be made from a combination up of gold and platinum-colored materials. Though Gabriel's new dragonic senses could tell that the materials were far more valuable.

"Is this where our new [Mana Potions] are being created?" Gabriel asked in curiosity as he pointed towards the magically charged device.

"Oh~! Yes, indeed it is my lord. Will you allow me to show you?" Astraea asked expectantly.

"Yes. Please do." Gabriel calmly replied.

"Great~! Alright, Pogo. I'm letting you down now." Astraea said as she gently placed the cat down, and walked over to the device.

Following suit, Gabriel also walked over to the apparatus, but stopped one step behind Astraea, and merely observed as he continued to flip an YGGDRASIL coin in his left hand. The cat, now known by "Pogo", leapt up to Gabriel's right shoulder with a single jump, and perched itself there so it too could watch events unfold. Astraea then began to speak with a far more mature and sagely tone of voice that contradicted her young appearance, when her hands hovered on either side of the vial.

"As you may know my lord, our first attempts used a method where we used just our own mana to charge the alchemical solution in this vial. However, we were recently able to refine this process, by creating this station that you see before you. We link our mana to it, and it draws from not only my mana, but will also condense the ambient mana in the air around the magic caster. Like so..."

Just then, a small flash of light is produced from Astraea's palms as the apparatus itself started to glow, along with a visible ethereal breeze of light wind flowing around them in the circular chamber. It is then drawn into both the top and bottom diamonds of the fixture holding the potion vial, which likewise to glowed.

The liquid within started to swirl the moment it started to glow, and within a minute the contents crystallized, before breaking down into a liquid again, and the vial's cap materialized, sealing the contents as the maelstrom of magical energies subsided. A sly, proud smile came over Astraea, as she then picked up the freshly made [Mana Potion] with her right hand, and presented it to Gabriel.

He took it in his own right hand and inspected it. Much like the one shown in the meeting, it pulsed with power, and produced a low hum that had an almost musical quality to it. Giving Astraea a nod of approval, which elicited a happy grin from her, he placed the potion in his [Inventory] as he spoke.

"Very impressive, Astraea. Good job."

"Thank you, my lord~! It's like music to my ears to hear your approval... So! The best thing about this improved method, is it allows us to more efficiently produce these potions, without wasting MP~! We can now make twenty potions, whereas before we could only make ten with the same amount." Astraea enthusiastically informed.

"Ah, yes. That reminds me... the explosions?" Gabriel dryly asks.

At that mention, Astraea became uncomfortable and sheepish as her lips pressed together, and she lowered her head in embarrassment. She then lifted her head, and was going to speak when Gabriel's warm right hand fell on top of her head. He smiled down at her, and she instantly felt at ease as he then spoke with a light chuckle.

"Hehehe... You're cute when you're flustered... And to be clear, I'm just happy no one was hurt, and that you've learned from those experiences. The progress you made here in such a short amount of time proves that. Rest assured though, you'll be hearing from Walter and Tamura regarding new 'safety precautions' in the future. Understood?"

"Oh, of course my lord~! Whatever you say!" Astraea happily says.

"Good girl. Now then..."

Just as Gabriel was going to continue speaking, light footfalls are heard echoing though the halls leading to the chapter they were situated in. As he turned his head, a female magic caster carrying an ornate, metallic silver-blue staff came into view. The staff itself would be the first thing to catch one's attention, as the top had a 3-headed serpent design, with the heads themselves holding a single honey-colored jewel in the center with their maws.

As the for the magic caster herself, the word "elegant" would best be used. Everything from her poise, the cadence of her steps, to her raiments simply screamed refined. Her high-heeled, knee-high white boots edged in gold almost seemingly blended with the combination of sleek and powerful shapes with the ornate gold and fine fabrics of her attire as the white and gold surcoat waved about with nary a blemish in sight.

The symbol of the guild was etched in blue into a silver-colored light chestplate, and she wore a headband of bluish-silver, with three jewels of orange, green, and purple color. Her black hair was done in a single topknot that was held in a diamond crusted "web", that shined with a radiance that highlighted her coco-brown skin and dark amethyst-colored eyes that held a formidable intelligence and refinement within. She is the 3rd-Floor's Area Guardian, lvl-85 Archmage, "Madam" Éloïse-Fouquet Bourcier.

 _'She's just as I remember her. Alisha co-created her with Astraea's creator Victoria. She was made with "elegance" in mind, as well as a certain discipline and nobility. Ah, I'm simply glad that she is not looking at me with the same doe-eyes as some of the others. That's getting a bit tiresome...'_ Gabriel idly thinks to himself.

She seemed neither surprised nor perturbed at the sight of the master of Dracon's Keep standing with her Floor Guardian, as she then took a brief, elegant bow as she spoke in a calm, smooth, and reserved tone of voice.

"My lord Gabriel. It is a singular honor to be graced with your presence today. I must say my lord, you are looking rather fetching."

"Well, thank you Madam Éloïse. Tell me, what brings you here today?" Gabriel asked in a neutral tone.

"Ah, yes my lord. I am here to relieve Lady Astraea from her potion creation duties..." She began to explain, when Astraea chimed in with an energetic tone.

"Yeup~! Me, Élo', and a few others swap out every so often so we don't exhaust our 'mana', as this world calls it."

At the shortening of her name, Éloïse's left brow twitched at nearly the same time Gabriel flipped the coin in his hand. She shot a brief glare to her superior before then speaking in a calm, but subtly irritated tone.

"My dear Lady Astraea, how many times have I asked you to refrain from that ghastly shortening of my name?"

"Teehehe. Oh, come on. Loosen up a little. You're always so prim and proper. You could try to let your hair down a little." Astraea says with a mischievous grin, as the cat "Pogo" leapt from its perch on Gabriel's shoulder to hers.

"I shall take that under advisement. In the meantime, I have work to do, so if you could be so kind..."

"Oh, okay~! Knock yourself out."

"Hmph. Surely not. Well then, it was a pleasure to see you my lord." Éloïse said with a dignified tone and bow.

"And you Madam Éloïse. I thank you for your service." Gabriel replied with an appreciative tone.

"Oh, there's no need for that, my lord. We are after all, here to serve." She said as she rose from her bow.

"Heh... Of course. Well, come on Astraea. Let's leave her to the task at hand." Gabriel says as he motions the small floor guardian to walk with him.

"Okay, my lord.~ Work hard, Élo'!" Astraea emphatically says as she pumps her left fist into the air.

Madam Éloïse lets out an exasperated sigh as she places her staff in her [Inventory], and then begins her task. An empty potion vial materializes into place as she sighs and grouses in a low tone.

"Lady preserve me. As powerful as she is, I fail to see how our esteemed lord tolerates our Floor Guardian's eccentricities..."

Meanwhile, further along in the hallway connecting to the chamber, both Gabriel and Astraea were carrying on a conversation that was in its final stages as Astraea was speaking in a surprisingly serious tone of voice.

"... And we should be able to increase production output of these new [Mana Potions] 5-fold within the week. We _could_ increase it to 10-fold if my lord wishes, but it would leave many magic casters on this floor unable to conduct their day-to-day duties."

"Indeed. Which is why we will not be doing that, Astraea. We are hardly at war, so such a drastic increase in potion production isn't necessary." Gabriel casually states.

"Oh, I knew you'd understand, my lord... Oh~! One thing I forgot to mention. 'Tis best that you be careful in how you handle each vial of these potions. We have refined the production process, and while they _do_ evaporate when they make prolonged contact with the air... theeeey _still_ explode if thrown, dropped, or otherwise not handled with care... Teeheehee.~" Astraea says with an awkward tone and laugh.

Sighing as they continued walking, Gabriel flipped the coin in his hand as he idly thinks to himself.

 _'Wonderful... So our magic casters are essentially drinking something that's volatile like nitroglycerin... Oh, for crying out loud. Is it too late to pull the plug on this? It's not unlike carrying around a grenade with the pin pulled... Heh. Both Alisha and Draconis would've gotten a laugh out of this...'_

As Gabriel smirks at the thought, he flips his coin again, catches it, and takes note of the side it lands on as he then speaks in an authoritative tone.

"Ensure that everyone in the Keep, not just the magic casters, are aware of the proper uses of these potions. Last thing we need is people causing injuries via explosions."

"Of course~! Already being done my lord!"

"Good then... Hm? Something the matter, Astraea?" Gabriel asks as he notices both Astraea and the cat staring up at his left that held the coin.

"Oh, I was just curious my lord. I was expecting you to be smoking your favorite tobacco rolls. Not flipping a coin." Astraea says with a curious head-tilt.

"Hehe... Ah, yes. This. Truth be told, I'm conducting a little experiment as I tour the Keep." Gabriel said with an amused tone as he flipped the coin again.

"Ooooh~! I just LOVE experiments! Please tell me, Lord Gabriel! What's this experiment you're doing?~" Astraea asks with eyes beaming with excitement and enthusiasm.

There was a soft chuckle as Gabriel notes how cute this side of Astraea was as he rolls the coin from finger-to-finger in front of her. She follows the coin with rapt attention as he smiles and then speaks.

"You could say that I'm conducting a test in probabilities. Namely, just how well our 'Luck' behaves in this world."

"Aaaaah~! I see! Damn it. Now I feel so dumb. I never even thought of that.~" Astraea complains with a pout.

"Eeek!"

Suddenly she lets out a squeak of surprise, not unlike a mouse, as Gabriel pats her on the head. She looks up to see her master smirk in amusement at her, and all she could do was grin happily as she shakes her head into Gabriel warm palm. Seeing this, the cat on her shoulder loudly meows, as if asking for similar attention. He complies with a chuckle as the feline purrs.

"Aw, teeheehee.~ Silly kitty." Astraea comments with a smile.

There was a slightly nod of agreement from Gabriel as he finished petting the strangely animated cat, and then turned to address Astraea.

"Now then, is there anything else before I depart?" Gabriel asks with a kind smile.

"Well... No... N-Nevermind..." Astraea says hesitantly, causing Gabriel to pick up that something is wrong.

"Astraea. What's the matter?" Gabriel asks with a concerned tone and expression, akin to a parent trying to gently nudge their child to speak their mind.

There was another moment of hesitation from her, before she then spoke up in a shy tone.

"Um... Well my lord, I was just thinking about some of our friends from YGGDRASIL. I remember Lady Alisha bringing Lord Draconis and Lady Artorias here often to discuss the arcane, and I... I find myself missing them terribly... My lord, will we ever see them again?" Carmyn asked with a forlorn expression and tone, as she lowered her head and then gently pets the cat perched on her shoulder.

Gabriel had a solemn expression as he looked upon her. Although they had learned that Players may have appeared in this new world before, the odds were against any of them being Draconis and/or Artorias. He made connect with them via email before that fateful night, so they were still on Earth as far as he knew. Even IF they did appear, with how spread out Player Transfers seemed to take place in this world, it may very well be hundreds of years before they appear. If at all.

A part of him doubted that would happen though. Once word reached them of his and Alisha's disappearances, he knew that their motivation for even logging into the game would evaporate. Especially since Draconis was once one of Alisha's Acolytes, and had enough connections and know-how to figure out what had happened.

Add to that, Gabriel's hunch that the Keep may very well have disappeared from YGGDRASIL's servers, and that they would be spending more time mourning them, then playing a game that reminded them of their loss. No matter what angle Gabriel looked at it, nearly all of their friends from both YGGDRASIL and IRL would play the game less, as a result of their disappearance. Except for maybe Momonga. Gabriel smirked in mild amusement at the thought...

 _'If anyone will stay logged in 'till the very end, it'll be that bonehead...'_

Just then, Gabriel could feel Astraea's hand at his side, and saw a confused and worried look from her. He then warmly rubbed her head and its silky-smooth hair as he spoke in a relaxed, casual tone to put her at ease.

"I wish I had an answer for you, Astraea. There's simply no telling what the future may bring. For now, we must focus on what's directly in front of us."

He simply couldn't bring himself to say more than that. Now that the NPCs were alive, created with a complex series of lore, background information, and other tweaks by an YGGDRASIL obsessed Alisha, their responses to words and stimuli were VERY close to human-like. Despite some quirks here and there. So he needed to word his reply in a way that could comfort them and get them to focus whenever necessary.

In Astraea's case, it seemed to have worked, as the "wise" words from her liege-lord and master brought her back to her usual self, as she straightened her posture and gave a bright smile.

"I understand, my lord~! We have no time to mope after all, right? The Lady would surely scold us if we did, instead of giving our master our best.~"

"Heheh. That's exactly right, Astraea. Couldn't have put it better myself." Gabriel said with a chuckle and proud smile.

"Sure you could've my lord~! Your speech to us guardians and the Keep was so eloquent after all." **(A/N:Ch.8)**

Gabriel chuckled and sighed ruefully at the floor guardian's praise as he thought to himself.

 _'Eloquent? Meh. Try "cliché". Alisha was the impressive orator. Not me. I could sing to a room full of people with no problem, but giving speeches? I'll be able to live a thousand years and still suck... Oh, well. If the NPCs' high loyalty and skewed perspective makes this easier, I won't complain...'_

As his idle thoughts cleared, Gabriel shook his head as he spoke again in a neutral tone.

"If there's nothing else, I'll be continuing on. Keep up the good work, Astraea."

"Of course~! By your command my lord, and enjoy your walk through your glorious Keep." Astraea cheerfully says, with the cat meowing afterward.

"Thank you, Astraea. Be well." Gabriel says as he disappears with his [Guild-Ring].

Left alone in the corridor, Astraea practically skips and hops along, feeling in good spirits after a visit from her master. Suddenly...

"Meow~!"

"Oh! Sorry about that, Pogo.~" Astraea says apologetically to the cat on her right shoulder, as she brings her joined index and middle fingers to her temple.

"[Message]~!"

 _[There. That better Pogo?~]_ Astraea mentally asks over the link.

 _[Yes, milady. Much better. 'Tis a pleasure to converse with you again.]_ The cat named Pogo mentally responds via the link, and loudly purrs as she lightly scratches his chin.

 _[Teeheehee.~ Silly kitty. I'm happy to converse with you too... So then, what did your senses tell you about how our Lord Gabriel is fairing?]_

 _[Ah, yes! I was quite impressed with how our liege was conducting himself. Truly worthy to be our master. Though seeming introspective at times, the strength of his will flowed off of him in waves. 'Twas truly an exciting experience to know such power was wielded with such a gentle hand.]_ Pogo mentally replied with the awe clear in his words.

 _[Hehe... Yeup~! That's our master for you! Oh! That reminds me. Was Lord Gabriel conducting that coin experiment while you were with him.]_

 _[As a matter of fact, he 'twas at that.]_

 _[Oooooh~! Then please tell me what you saw!]_ Astraea excitedly exclaimed over the link as her eyes seemed to shine with a subtle light.

 _[Certainly milady... From what I could tell, Lord Gabriel constantly flipped a coin, taking note upon which side it landed, and repeating the process until he reached a stopping point. I know not what, but our liege then removed one of his ring items, and proceeded to start again.]_

 _[A ring item?]_ Astraea asked with a puzzled expression.

"Meow~!"

 _[Yes, milady. 'Tis my greatest of apologies that this one cannot elucidate further.]_ Pogo replies with a lowered head.

Astraea replies with a smile and head-rub, in much the same way Gabriel had done to her.

 _[No worries, Pogo~! Thanks to the information you gave me, I think I have a good idea as to what our Lord Gabriel is doing.]_ Astraea smiles with cunning confidence at her reply.

 _[Truly, milady? 'Tis good fortune then. Then this one humbly asks what you've learned.]_

 _[Hmm... Weeeell~... This is what our Lord Gabriel may be doing...]_

* * *

*CLINGK!*

"..."

*THWUM!*

"... And that's one-hundred."

As the flipped coin was caught in Gabriel's hand, he notes that it landed on heads, as he had intended. Seemingly satisfied, he placed the coin back into his [Inventory], and pulled out and lit a cigarette. After taking a few puffs, he calmly walked towards the shining, dark navy-blue gates that led to the 4th-floor as he thought to himself...

 _'That answers that. The "Luck" stat from YGGDRASIL is in full effect in this world. Rather strongly too. With my [Divine Class] item, the [Ring of Bishamonten] boosting my Luck stat, I willed my coin to land on "Heads", and got it in 96/100 tries. Even without the ring it was still a ridiculous 72/100 tries. That would have been statistically impossible back on Earth. Hell, I feel I could will that damned thing to land on its edge if I wanted. While this answers some questions, it brings up others...'_

Gabriel sighed as he then pulled out a golden ring with a fiery-orange design that looped through its body. He looked upon it wistfully for a moment, before then putting it back on, and then speaking in a low tone.

"I'm sorry Draconis. I hope you and Artorias manage to stay out of that mess, and live a good, long life with each other..."

His expression turned distant as he recalled how he acquired that ring. It was a gift from Draconis, after he and his wife's guild of Avalon had raided a dungeon, and found it as part of the loot within. Their guilds were friends and allies from day one, cooperating at numerous times. Most especially during the "Lord of the Seven Deadly Sins" crisis, that saw them victorious.

Draconis, his wife, and every member of Avalon were permanent "Guests" of Dracon's Keep, and could practically come and go as they pleased. Gabriel chuckled at a memory of one occasion where Draconis, his wife, and their entire guild had showed up to visit, only to practically intercept a party of 36 Players who showed up to invade.

Although outnumbered, the resulting clash resulted in a complete party-wipe, with the enemy never setting even a single foot inside Dracon's Keep. Gabriel stifled a full-on belly laugh, as he recalled himself, Alisha, Jon, and a few others watching all this happen from within the observation deck overlooking the front gates.

Imagine if you will, gathering your members for a raid, prepping your best items and load-outs, and then suddenly finding yourself faced with a force teleporting right in front of you. Metaphorically speaking, they were caught with their pants down, staring at Avalon's arrival in stunned shock and silence, while Avalon itself took all of 5-seconds to figure out what was going on, and then respond accordingly.

Gabriel's side could only laugh at the spectacle as the two sides literally walked right into each other. Especially since they were already in the observation deck as it happened in front of them. It was beyond hilarious to watch the enemy flail about, as they were methodically and systematically picked apart by the forces from Avalon.

To further add salt to this wound, was the fact that the members of the wiped out party ALL wore [Legendary Class] or above gear. Which means when their avatars died, they ended up losing some of their best equipment. As for their guilds, they each divvied up the spoils accordingly. A memory flashed in Gabriel's mind recalling Draconis speaking over a [Message] link to all...

 _"Hey, old man! That ring I gave you seems to be working!"_

There wasn't a single soul that wasn't laughing at the jab. Gabriel himself included. That was a very good day, and a party was held within the Keep. Footage of that "random encounter", was played on constant repeat, and then posted online with the title, "Invasion Epic-Fail!", by Dragon's Inquisition member Leroy Bartholomew Jenkins. Yes, that was his name. Which made it all the more satisfying when it hit the web.

Gabriel was grinning ear-to-ear at the memory as the gates to the 4th-floor opened for him, and he crossed the threshold, speaking in a low, almost happy tone as he chuckled.

"Hehehe... Damn it, kid."

* * *

 **4th-Floor: Underground Catacombs**

It took only a few minutes for Gabriel to enter a small clearing with stone construction floor and walls, mixed with sections of rough, cave-like structures and loose earth. This marked the start of one's journey into the underground 4th-floor. It consisted of a network of tunnels and travel ways of various sizes that connected the outer areas, to the inner Keep areas that joined and exits into a singular hub location.

The floor guardian's living quarters were located just above the hub location's gate that led into the 5th-floor, and into the Keep proper. Getting past this area was the actual milestone for any who invaded Dracon's Keep. The 4th-floor's structure was designed as a labyrinthine maze, with many paths that could be taken, all leading to the same end.

Some led to their final destination, while others were dead-ends. Some of the dead-ends were fatal, some were painful, and others simply wasted an invader's time. The main essence of the floor was to confuse and entrap invaders. As Gabriel walked past a passage, at the corner of his eye he saw one of those dead-ends that contained four treasure chests.

A Stone Golem in the shape of coiled, serpentine dragon was perched behind the chests, and in the game would deliver a pre-recorded line, courtesy of a friend from another guild named Alphonse, who happened to be an actor. The message itself said something along the lines of, "You must choose, but choose wisely. For as the true chest will bring you great fortune, the false chest will take it from you."

In any case, following old RPG tropes, each contained a different surprise for an invader dumb enough to let their curiosity get the better of them. There have been quite a few, if the cunning smirk on Gabriel's lips were any indication. As for the chests themselves, one contained YGGDRASIL gold coins, one a simple mirrored bottom to symbolize one's life being the true treasure, one completely empty, and the last being a Mimic.

Though it was a mere lvl-50 NPC, it's ability to cause damage, even to a lvl-100, was boosted by an AOE spell-trap that buffed the Mimic, and debuffed and immobilized the target. Of course it couldn't kill a lvl-100 target outright unless their HP was in the red, but it would still hurt like hell. Although the corresponding cost to the Treasury ALSO hurt like hell for that little gimmick, so it was currently turned off. Regardless of the Player's choice though, the other chests would disappear, forcing them to move on.

Of course, even if one were to choose the "correct" path in the 4th-floor, that did not mean that trouble did not lie in wait. In addition to the usual assortment of traps that ranged from the conventional to the magical, there were a varied host of enemies to contend with. Everything from monsters to soldiers would attack from walls that would disassemble, and then reassemble at will, and at random intervals.

The most common POP soldier NPCs to be found on the 4th-floor would be the Dwarf Legionnaires. They were spread out all over the floor, had a varied composition of classes, and like all other POP soldiers, were fully equipped with magic items.

Gabriel came upon an open area as he traversed through one of the shorter paths through the maze. He knew the place like the back of his hand, as he and his friends often toured it to refine its design, or just to admire the work that had gone into it. As he had partially done with the other floors, he readied his [Guild-Ring] to teleport to a half-way point before continuing. Otherwise, it would take days to fully traverse the full expanse of the Keep.

Then suddenly, out of another corridor stepped what would be considered an odd group in this new world. First, a female Dwarf Ranger with light orange hair done up in a bun, with piercing blue eyes, clear skin with freckles, and stood at a height of 4-feet, 3-inches (130 cm). Thanks to the information that had been gathered, Gabriel knew that dwarves from this world and YGGDRASIL had a few differences.

For one, despite similar heights, female dwarves from this world _typically_ looked rather similar to the males, in that they also had beards. They may have had smaller, better trimmed beards, and had a slightly more effeminate appearance, but unless they opened their mouths to speak, or you had superior senses, then telling the difference between the males and females was often quite difficult.

Thanks to the "artistic liberties" taken by YGGDRASIL Players, this was not the case for the dwarves of the Keep. They looked more like small, extremely fit and attractive humans by comparison. There was no doubt in Gabriel's mind that in this new world, the female dwarf in front of him would have more than a few human suitors of either gender vying for her attention.

Following her was a humanoid reptilian creature of about 3-feet (91.4cm) tall, with reddish-brown scales, dark-orange eyes, and wore armor and gear that had a leathery texture, and armor pieces that looked like lacquer to the untrained eye. It also had gear to identify it as a Ranger-class, with daggers at its sides, and bow on its back, much like the dwarf.

It was a Kobold. A being that was distantly related to dragons, could be found in many different types of environment, and were known for even smaller statures than dwarves. By Gabriel's memory, they were the slightly weaker of the NPC POPs on this floor. So they were geared more toward laying traps and ambushes, using subterfuge and swarm tactics to pounce on enemies.

The last figure that emerged was incredibly, a large Raptor with a harness and saddle, being gently pulled along by the Kobold by it reins. It remained silent, and in an odd way, looked bored as the two in front of it carried on a conversation. Wanting to listen in on them, Gabriel hid his presence with a combination of using the [Blood Magic] in his veins to silence his bodily functions, and donning a [Ring of Invisibility].

"No, no, no, Daxel. What I'm sayin' is that your mate wants to feel appreciated. And you're just not doin' that." The female dwarf said with a tired sigh.

"Oi! What'cha sayin', Hardy?! She luvs the ruttin' we do every night!" The Kobold named Daxel growls back to the named female dwarf, who lets out a fatigued sigh as she replies.

"That's not the problem, Daxel. It's your attitude. No matter how great the sex, if a lady doesn't feel appreciated, it's all pointless. Rutting and leavin', and then barely talking to her when yer' off-duty is what's pissin' her off. For starters at least."

"Bah! Females are strange. They're never satisfied with anythin'!"

"Ugh... Look you..."

Just as Hardy was about to retort, their Raptor mount started to huff and become more agitated.

"Hey now. What's the matter, girl?" Hardy asked in a concerned tone of voice.

"Oi! Somethin's not right 'ere... It's like there's..." Daxel was saying before pausing.

Just then, Gabriel removed his [Ring of Invisibility], revealing his presence to the NPCs. They stared in wide-eyed shock for a second, before then coming to their senses, and prostrating themselves before him. Even the Raptor bowed before him.

"L-Lord Gabriel! Apologies! We welcome you to the 4th-Floor of your glorious Keep!" Hardy said for them in a flustered tone.

Gabriel lightly chuckled in a good-natured manner before speaking in a matching tone.

"Be at ease, Hardy. I am simply walking through the Keep, seeing how every was doing."

"Ooooh~! You do us great honor!"

"I said be at ease. Now rise you three." Gabriel says in a calm tone.

The three NPCs do as instructed, but with some measure of reluctance, feeling that they should always bend knee towards their master. Well, except for the Raptor, who then happily trotted over to Gabriel, like a dog greeting its owner. Prompting Daxel to both angrily and nervously try to stop it.

"Oi! What do ya' think yo..."

Before he could complete his sentence, the Raptor reached Gabriel, and then shrilled and chirped happily as he patted it on the head. The Raptor wagged its tail excitedly as the other two NPCs watched on in shock, with Daxel grumbling under his breath...

"Keh... Clever girl..."

After a few minutes of "petting" the Raptor, Gabriel instructs it to return to its handler Daxel. To which it happily complies, and the Kobold swiftly regains a hold of its reins with an annoyed huff. Then Gabriel's voice then casually chimed in.

"By the way Daxel, you really should listen to Hardy's advice in regards to your relationship with your mate. She knows what she's talking about."

The NPC was taken aback, and quickly realized that their master had likely listened in on their entire conversation, thanks to his little "ambush" upon them. His reddish-brown face seemed to become an even darker shade of red, as he then saw his comrade Hardy grinning triumphantly. And all he could do was bow to his liege-lord and reply...

"Yes, my lord."

"Good. Now then, I shall be heading for Egonn Strykur's 'arena'. Perhaps you all would care to escort me?"

"O-Oh, of course! We'd be honored to, Lord Gabriel!" The dwarf Hardy exclaims proudly, with her companion eagerly nodding in agreement.

Gabriel could only smile and nod at their reaction, which seemed to make them beam with even more joy and eagerness as they both went to a nearby stone column. When they did, the dwarf Hardy seemed to use a command phrase that made the collumn lightly glow at first, before it rumbled, and then rising up further from the ground. This revealed a bluish glowing platform that Daxel and the Raptor walked to.

The moment they stepped onto it, they both disappeared in a flash of blue light, and at once Gabriel knew that it was a teleportation platform. These were on each floor, connected to another platform at another location, which made traversing each floor easier for guests, allies, and even the NPCs in the game. Of course, you had to know their _precise_ locations, as well as the command to reveal and use them.

Of course, if an invader somehow discovered them, they could traverse large swaths of the floors without difficulty. With is why only a select few outside the guild were even made aware of them. However, even _if_ an invader knew about them, certain safeguards were already in place to ensure they couldn't use them as they liked. Even if it did cost a bit in YGGDRASIL gold to use that safeguard. Since Gabriel had a [Guild-Ring], he saw no need to use them as he started his walk through the Keep. However, since these NPCs were now "escorting" him, using it became a necessity.

The Dwarf Hardy stood to the side and bowed, which allowed Gabriel to step onto it, followed by Hardy herself behind. They did this about four times to cover the entire length of the 4th-floor, and as per usual, Gabriel drew awed attention and praises from the POP NPCs as he went along. He saw that his decision was the correct one.

They all seemed overjoyed and reassured upon seeing their master and liege-lord, walking the halls of his Keep, smiling and nodding to them. Whatever concerns they may have had over his well-being evaporated like the steam from boiling water, as their morale and dedicate rose several fold just by seeing him. It was a sight that had more or less repeated itself from the 2nd and 3rd-floors before this one.

Less than 15-minutes later, the length of the 4th-floor had been covered, and they entered a massive circular area with at least four other exit points, signifying how even separated parties would eventually meet up in this central location. It's size allowed for a massive group fight, and was comparable in size to the Amphitheater on Nazarick's 6th-floor.

Except in this case, there was a dome-shaped ceiling 40-meters (131ft) above them, where the personal quarters of the 4th-Floor Guardian was located. However, one did not need to look there for him. At the far end of the area, standing watch over the gray, massive gates that led to the 5th-floor, was the floor's guardian himself, Egonn Strykur. He was accompanied by his faithful magic beast companion, the Black Tiger Amnon. **(A/N:Ch.8 f/looks)** As Gabriel and his escorts approached, he made note of his surroundings.

Like all other "arenas" for the Keep's Floor Guardians, this area afforded Egonn and Amnon a number of buffs to enhance strength, defenses, and performance. Simply put, it was here that Egonn was at his best, and that is what made fighting him and the other floor guardians on their home field so dangerous. This logic applied to nearly ALL floor guardians of nearly EVERY guildbase, with only a few exceptions.

As they came upon Egonn, he and Amnon turned to regard them, before bowing to Gabriel. He quickly instructed them to be at ease, before turning to regard his escorts.

"Thank you for accompanying here. You may return to your previous duties."

'"By your command lord!"' They resolutely acknowledged in unison with a bow.

After they had turned to leave in a brisk pace, Gabriel turned back to Egonn, who then spoke in a tone befitting a knight addressing his liege as he took a slight bow.

"My lord, it fills my heart with no end of joy to see you doing well."

"Thank you, Egonn. It is greatly appreciated, and I know I can rest easy with you and Amnon looking after the gates to the 'Inner Keep'."

"Your words humble us, my liege. Rest assured, we shall always give our all in defense of your domain." Egonn said with the strength of his loyalty clear in his voice, with his Black Tiger companion roaring in agreement.

"Thank you for your service, Egonn and Amnon. However, bear in mind that while it may be 'my' domain, it's also your home. Remember that."

"..."

While there was no verbal reaction from Egonn, and his facial reactions was hidden behind his full-helm, Gabriel could still tell that his words, while simple, had an impact on him. Other than the obvious body language cues of Egonn stiffening ever so slightly, the dragonic powers that flowed within Gabriel like it was his own lifeblood, allowed him to feel the presence and emotions of others of dragonkin. The empathic ability felt so natural at times, that it caught Gabriel off-guard on occasion.

What he felt from the dragonoid Egonn was nothing less than pride and happiness. To be able to serve someone that thought of them and cared for them. Of course, Egonn was not the type to show his feelings. Not if he could help it at least. One of the reasons why Leona and Astraea would constantly tease him whenever possible.

As he thought of this, the massive Black Tiger Amnon nudged Gabriel's arm affectionately like the big cat that he was. He could only smile at this as she used his right hand to scratch under Amnon's chin. This elicited a rumbling, happy purr from the magic beast, even if Egonn felt slight embarrassed about it. Then, as if to dispel the awkwardness that he felt, Egonn cleared his throat with a fake cough as he spoke in a his usual tone.

"Ahem!... Well then my lord, shall I open the gates for you?"

"Ah, yes. Please do, Egonn."

"By your command, my lord."

As Egonn walked away to a smooth, obsidian-colored panel to the left of the gates, there was a brief moment of trepidation from within Gabriel as he continued to pet the Black Tiger, Amnon. He hadn't been to the 5th-floor since he left to explore the outside world. It was a sensation he was familiar with. Though it was almost 2-months since then, it felt like a lifetime ago.

Still, Gabriel's hesitation was understandable. The 5th-floor was after all, where his love, wife, and bondmate had been taken from him. Where he, when caught within the throes of madness and grief, had tried to commit suicide, and shortly thereafter, he was reborn into this new world. Despite all this, he hardened his resolve, and burned away whatever hesitation he felt. He knew this was something he had to do. He owed it to not only himself, but also for Alisha.

Amnon somehow sensed his master's disquiet, and let out a quiet roar that was perhaps his version of a "meow", and rubbed his head affectionately on Gabriel's shoulder. He smiled at the big cat's antics and rubbed his chin, getting another series of rumbling purrs in reply.

"Hehe. Thank you, Amnon. Now, go back to Egonn." Gabriel said with a chuckle.

The large, armored Black Tiger nodded and purred in the affirmative, and then casually sauntered over to its keeper Egonn, who placed his palm on that panel. This action made it immediately light up with a green-colored magic circle, followed by the massive gates rumbling as they opened outward. Fresh, sweat tasting air flowed into the area, as bright, multi-colored lights filtered in though the cracks of the opening gates, hinting at the paradise that lay beyond on the 5th-floor, "Crystal Gardens".

"Fair travels my lord. Whatever happens, us guardians shall always be there you. As the Lady intended." Egonn said with a decidedly softer and comforting tone.

A bright smile formed on Gabriel's lips as the warm rays of light from the next floor bathed his face, and whatever remnants of hesitation left him as he took a step forward...

* * *

 ***A/N: Hey peoplez! I'm REALLY sorry it took soooo long to get this out the door. Shenanigans kept getting in the way. None-the-least of which, some arse rear-ending my car, because he thought it was a GREAT idea to pay more attention to his cellphone than the road. Just glad there was a police officer, sitting RIGHT THERE when it happened. Made dealing with it a tad easier... ANYWAYS! Those IRL shenanigans aside, I'm going to be a little busy with other things in the coming week, but you can better believe that I WILL get started on Part-2 when I am able. Trust me. I've got some crazy shit in the works that I'm just dying to share. Also, if you managed to pick out all the shoutouts to other fanfics and references, they're done with the permission of their authors. And if you can spot them all, you win cookie. ;) Until then you'll take care, and see you next time! ^_^***


	17. Chapter 17-A Day in the Keep:Part-2

**Chapter 17-** **A Day in the Keep: Part-2**

 **Dracon's Keep, 5th-Floor: Crystal Gardens**

A gentle breeze blew through the air as Gabriel strolled along and marveled as the sight that he saw before him. Despite the sad memories this place evoked from him, the beauty and majesty of this place never once failed to elicit feelings of warmth and awe from him. A serene field of grass, flowers, and beautiful crystal formations jutted out of the ground, refracting the artificial daylight into a beautiful auroras and rainbows of colors. **(A/N:Ch.2)**

In addition to the usual assortment of weather and environmental hazards, magical traps were blanketed across the surface of the floor to "greet" invaders. Of course, with "friendly-fire" now a problem given the transition to a real-world environment, as well as the costs that would be inflicted to the Keep's Treasury, they were obviously turned off. Even so Gabriel starred off into the distance, marveling at what was his favorite of the floors.

Given the massive size of the 5th-floor, three times that of a normal floor, he could remain for days before he could see everything. Though he could not do so, as he was here for a walk-through to make his presence felt and see some highlights of the Keep for himself. Gabriel still had other business to attend to after all, despite marveling at the sight of sleipnirs and horses frolicking in the distance. So, before he allowed himself to become too enthralled with his surroundings, he decided press on.

However, he sensed an incoming dragon-blooded presence approaching his position at high speeds. He turned to his left, and saw a lizardman in glistening, silver-colored full-armor running in a full-on sprint. Its fully armored tail violently swayed from side-to-side as the symbol of the guild on its chest-plate seemed to glow with the bright, illusionary sun in the sky. The figure halted its sprint, and then kneels before Gabriel after removing its full-helm.

Its features were that of a lizardman with smooth, snow-white scales and shining ocean-blue eyes that looked upon him with reverence, devotion, and loyalty as the newly arrived male NPC spoke in matching tones, with a smooth, dignified, and masculine voice.

"Milord Gabriel Erin Dracon. This is without a doubt a most joyous occasion. All celebrate your return to us."

"Hm. Thank you for your service and for greeting me, Gustave. Now rise." Gabriel said in a calm, neutral tone.

The NPC nodded and did as instructed as he carried his helm under his right arm and bowed once more. He is a lvl-85 Lizardman Knight and Paladin named Gustave, and his creation was, in part, inspired by his friend and friend of the guild, "Sir" Touch-Me of the guild Ainz Ooal Gown. Something that honored him greatly, as he recalled.

He was the first of two area guardians of the western portion of the 5th-floor called the, "Great Victoria Lake". An area that had tranquil marshes merging into a deep lake, and had beautiful crystal formations outlining them, as well as lush aquatic plants. Area Guardian Gustave led a force of POPs that comprised of other lizardmen and elves, and he was fully equipped with [Legendary Class] gear. Also, despite "only" being a lvl-85, he had been responsible for quite a few Player and Mercenary NPC kills back in the game.

This was due to not only his gear, but advanced A.I. attack patterns that had been customized by both Alisha and fellow guildmember, Frederick Hugo Wayne. Combined with his Job Classes that allowed him to function as a Tank/Attacker, and his Racial Classes in Dragonkin that gave him a boost, any fool that judged him by levels alone paid for it dearly. Gabriel surmised that it was Gustave's Dragonkin blood that allowed him to sense his approach early on.

"So then Gustave, how have you been faring?" Gabriel asked in caring and curiosity.

"Ah, you honor me with your concerns, milord. 'Tis truly fits our benevolent master. Nary a single one of us would not be honored to receive them." Gustave replied in a happy tone as he bowed deeply.

There was a brief pause as Gabriel looked upon him with a scrutinizing gaze, and then a gentle smile crossed his lips as he spoke in matching tones.

"Thank you for your reassurance, Gustave. Though I cannot help but notice that you failed to answer my question."

The reaction was immediate as Gustave tensed, fearing that he may have angered his liege-lord. He peeked up at Gabriel's visage, and saw no hints of anger. Instead he saw a kind, almost passive expression as he patiently waited his reply. For his part, Gabriel could sense Gustave was trying to hide something from him, thanks to not only his experience in reading people, but once again his draconic senses that gave him an almost empathic ability to sense the feelings and intentions of those with dragon-blood.

"M-My sincerest apologies, milord! I-It was not my intention to deceive you. I simply wished to broach this… uncomfortable topic another way…" Gustave quickly said as he kneels once more.

"Be calm. It's alright. I'm not angry with you, Gustave. I can sense your reticence, so it must be something serious. No need to stand on ceremony. Rise, and explain to me what the problem is." Gabriel said in a calm, understanding tone.

Gustave seemed reluctant at first to stand from his kneeling position, but Gabriel's tone and presence set him at ease to follow his instructions without worry.

"W-Well, it appears that my fellow area guardian Inanna has become restless as of late, milord. She... Ahem! She is preventing the harvest of fish to be carried out until she sees your lordship. I was on my way to summon Lady Schala to deal with this, when I sensed your presence on this floor, milord. So, I had hoped that…"

Gabriel raised his hand and nodded, signaling his understanding of the situation. He let out a fatigued sigh at this, though he was not surprised in the least. The named area guardian was a lvl-90 Lamia, and though physically strong and tough, her job classes and specialties were that of a Scyer/Magic Caster. She also had the "distinction" of being one of the "Worst Three" of Dracon's Keep.

That is a title given to the few truly evil-aligned NPCs within the Keep, along with a lvl-85 Death Vine named Fulquard Audrey III, and a lvl-85 Dullahan named Ripp Van Wynkle. Both of which resided on the 7th-floor, "Village of Dusk". Gabriel made a mental note to pay a visit to those two in the future, as he then placed his left hand upon Gustave's left shoulder, and then spoke in a calm, commanding tone.

"Let us pay Inanna a visit, shall we?"

Gustave was momentarily stunned to see a slight smirk on his lord's lips. It was both reassuring and frightening to him to see such an expression, as it was equal parts cunning and wrathful to him. Still, he could not help letting out a grin of his own as he replied.

"By your command, my lord."

With that they both vanished in a flash of blue light as Gabriel used his guild-ring to teleport them back to the outskirts of the "Great Victoria Lake". Gustave took a bow as he stepped to the side and allow his liege-lord to inspect the area. It was a marvelous sight to behold as numerous waterfalls and streams merged into a gigantic lake bordered by shrines and shining crystal formations, and silver armored elven and lizardman figures dutifully patrolled the area.

As Gabriel and Gustave walked towards the shore that bordered the area governed by the offending area guardian, the POP NPCs quickly bowed and gave their respects. Gabriel waved them off as he idly thought to himself…

' _As I recall, the fish harvested here is some kind of boneless variety. They re-spawn after a time, and with the application of YGGDRASIL gold. Frederick thought it would be hilarious to have a dangerous lamia reside here with the fish. I failed to see the humor, though Alisha thought it was cute. Now? Hmph… He's a candidate for a dislocated jaw… Well, time to deal with this mess…'_

Gabriel's idle thoughts concluded as they approached the bank of the lake, and once again it was a breathtaking sight. Refracted light danced off the surface as crystal platforms were dotted about the area of the water, and upon each platform stood a Merfolk wearing shining metallic-blue light armor and armed with a three-pronged spear. Noticing the presence of their lord they all collectively bowed to him, as he then instructed them to be at ease. Just as he was scanning the area, a figure had majestically burst from the surface of the water not far from his location.

The female figure whipped her waist-length black hair back as she came into view. She was a stunning world-class beauty that could entrance with her mere looks alone. She had sparkling amber-colored eyes with slitted pupils that burned with both intelligence and fiery passion. Her ears were pointed like an elf's, but were dark-green, and outlined with scales of the same color, as was her cheeks.

Her upper torso was covered in light, smooth skin was perfect with nary a blemish, and the only article of clothing she wore was an armored "bra" that glittered with a metallic bluish-green sheen in the light, as it protected her rather large bust. This was Area Guardian Inanna of the Great Victoria Lake. Fangs protruded from her mouth as she smiled in a pleased manner, and then spoke in a coquettish tone.

"Oh, my~! Such illustrious company. Thank you, my dear Gustave, for bringing our beloved liege to me. I cannot thank you enough.~"

Gustave growled aggressively as his tailed struck the ground. He would have shouted at his fellow area guardian, if not for Gabriel's raised left hand telling him to remain silent. Reluctantly he bowed and agreed, thinking his master must have some sort of plan in mind. As for Gabriel himself, he looked down at the lvl-90 lamia with an icy stare and blank expression as she slowly sauntered her way towards the bank.

"My Lord Gabriel.~ Long have I wished to see you during these troubling times. Mayhaps, now that you are here, you can join me in my quarters to discuss the future~?" She said with a salacious lick of her fangs and lips.

Gabriel said nothing in reply as he stared her down, and then shocked Gustave as he stepped into the waters. An act that was as good as a "yes" to her obvious intentions and invitations. An almost predatory glint flashed in her eyes as she sped towards a slowly walking Gabriel, the waters now covering his shins. In obvious carnal excitement, she shot forward like a bullet to claim her "prize", and then…

*CRASH!*

Only Gustave could barely track what happened, as Gabriel's right fist came smashing down upon Inanna's sternum with such force that an explosion of water drenched all nearby. A look of shock and excitement washed over Inanna's face as she coughed and choked on the waters. She looked up into her master's eyes and saw them glow with a faint emerald-colored light as his gaze remained calm and impassive. This excited her even more as her 23-foot (7m) long tail slithered up and coiled around Gabriel's right leg and worked its way up his body.

"My oh my, milord.~ I hadn't a notion such violent acts 'twas your notion of foreplay. I rather like it. Teeheehee…~ I'm ready to receive you, milord." Inanna said in a playfully sultry manner.

Meanwhile, Gabriel's expression remained impassive as the tip of her tail reached his mouth. Then he suddenly bit down onto it and his canines, which were now more like fangs as this point, dug into her flesh.

"Ooouaaah~!"

Inanna yelped in a mixture of pain and pleasure as Gabriel did this, and his right hand moved from her sternum to wrapping his fingers around her throat. His powerfully iron grip clamped down to almost squeeze the life out of her, and at first Inanna seemed euphoric at this action, as her hands gripped his right hand, but then a feeling of dread crept up her spine.

She looked back to her lord's eyes to see them now seething with fury, and now having morphed into slitted, draconic versions of themselves. A menacing draconic growl echoed throughout the area, and all at once realized their source; Gabriel himself. The once cool waters of the lake started to steam as an intense heat bathed the area, and a flaming emerald aura surrounded him. Inanna was frozen in both awe and fear as his voice rang out, vibrating the air.

"Inanna, let me make this clear. I have NO patience for the levels of foolishness you've just demonstrated. Do not even _dream_ of compromising the Keep's operations, or its population over your desires. Do I make myself clear?!"

All thought left the NPC as she looked into Gabriel's ferocious gaze that seemed to bore into her very soul. She trembled in both fear and delight, knowing that she served such a powerful, domineering master. Her hands let go, and she smiled broadly as she replied…

"By your command, milord.~"

With that acknowledgement, Gabriel's wrath slowly receded, along with the oppressive heat and presence he exuded as he released his hand and stood up over Inanna. His eyes returned to normal and he slowly breathed to relax and regain his composure. He then turned his head to his left to calmly address an awed Gustave.

"You may now recommence the fish harvesting."

"R-Right away, milord!"

With that the albino lizardman used a few hand motions to signal to the nearby Merfolk and elves to dive into the waters to resume their tasks with practiced and focused efficiency. Just as Gabriel was about to turn to leave, he saw Inanna wrapping her arms around Gabriel's right leg, and she looked up at him with joyful smiles.

"Milord, allow this one to atone for her foolishness, and _entertain_ you for the evening…~"

Her words trailed off as Gabriel lifted his right-hand, and proceeded to crack his knuckles by wrapping his thumb over each of his fingers. He glared down upon her as another inhuman growl left his throat, and she slowly, albeit reluctantly released her hold on his leg, allowing her fingers to glide over the powerful muscles of his thigh. Gabriel relaxed his posture as his hand lowered back to his side and spoke with an authoritative tone.

"If you _truly_ wish to atone for your actions Inanna, then you will assist in the harvesting of fish for the Keep. Understood?"

Her posture likewise relaxed as his words, and then she reached out and took his right-hand in both of hers as she then proceeded to kiss his guild-ring with reverence and affection.

"Understood, milord.~"

Gabriel perked a brow at this, but accepted her affirmation of loyalty and acknowledgment of his instructions, as he then turned on his heel and calmly strode towards the bank of the lake to a waiting Gustave. Inanna simply smiled as she longingly watched her master leave, laying on her side with her left arm propping her up, as her tail swayed in the waters. Meanwhile, Gabriel activated his [Ring of Message] as he mentally communicated…

 _[Gustave. Keep an eye on Inanna. If she acts up again, contact me immediately.]_

The albino lizardman did not speak, but instead smiled and bowed in reply. Gabriel nodded, and then lifted his hand to activate his guild-ring, when Gustave let out an awed gasp. This caught him by surprise as he tilted his head and spoke.

"Is something wrong, Gustave?"

"A-Ah, nothing milord. It's just that this is my first time seeing the [Ring of the Inquisitorius]. 'Tis truly a sight to see the symbol of our High Lords." Gustave happily replied as his tail excitedly wagged about.

Though he did not show it, his words briefly confused Gabriel for a moment as he quickly thought on the matter…

'… _Ring of the what now? I don't ever recall naming the guild-rings… Aaaaah… I see… A few in the past have called them that, so it's likely the NPCs remember…'_

"… Well, thank you for that, Gustave. It pleases me, and these events have been most… enlightening." Gabriel comments in a relaxed tone.

"You honor me, milord."

"Well then, I'll be off." Gabriel says as he then disappears in a blue flash of light.

There is silence for a moment, before Inanna's coquettish voice chimed in.

"Our master is magnificent is he not, pretty-Gustave~?"

"Humph! Do not call me by such a ridiculous moniker… And yes. He is indeed." Gustave groused in reply as he kept his back to her.

"Awww.~ Now don't be like that. I would've thought that you would have relaxed a bit, now that you regularly spend ' _quality time_ ' with one of those pretty little things that our generous master had saved.~" Inanna said with a mischievous smile and tone.

"…"

Gustave remained silent as he quickly put his helm back on to hide the fact that his snow-white scales had turned crimson from profusely blushing at her snide comment. As he walked away in a huff, Inanna knowingly grinned. She instinctively knew she got under his armor/scales, and laid back and used a backstroke to leisurely return to her waters. However, before diving back underneath the surface, she turned to gaze at two male-Merfolk POPs standing guard upon the nearby platforms, and spoke with a seductive timbre.

"You two dears shall join me in my private chambers tonight…~ Oh! And be sure to bring a friend with you…~"

The two NPCs tensed nervously as the bluish-colored skin of their faces flushed red in a furious blush, before gulping and bowing to her.

"Yes, Mistress Inanna!"

"Hmm… Good boys.~ Now then, 'tis beneath me for such a menial task, but my beautiful lord's will is law. Mayhaps I shall win his favor, and his bed, if I execute my task flawlessly. Keehehe.~"

Her eyes had a distant look as she caressed her neck, and fantasized her of master's powerful grip being used in a more "intimate" setting. She then quickly dives below the surface of the waters, and in less than 10-minutes, she had harvested an amount of fish that rivaled the dozens of POP NPCs that were previously assigned the same task…

* * *

Meanwhile, Gabriel had reappeared in another location on the 5th-floor, walking casually as he thought on the recent events with Inanna. In particular, he mulled on the approach he used to deal with her behavior…

' _Oh, for cryin' out loud… I knew that was going to be a headache eventually. Her negative karma and alignment made it necessary to instill discipline and establish dominance. Heh… It's like déjà vu. I've had to deal with my fair share of hardcases back on Earth, but dammit! I'm not supposed to be a babysitter… Ah, well. The old carrot- &-stick method will usually work if used correctly, but the real problem is now that I've used the "stick", what of the "carrot"? Oy…'_

With a weary sigh Gabriel shook his head at the thought. He couldn't tell how much of Alisha's and Frederick's influences were part of her make-up, but Inanna's obvious intentions had both amused and annoyed him as he realized where it would eventually go. Then a voice echoed in his subconscious…

' _/Worry not young Gabriel. She won't be a problem so long as you grant her wish at least once, and at the right time. But really, is that so bad? You've no need to restrain yourself. Discipline and control are fine and admirable qualities, but it seems you need to relearn how to relax… Hmph! Perhaps you could benefit from being without a body of your own for a time…/'_

As the voice faded, Gabriel approached a small collection of four cottages with curved designs on the outskirts of the "Great Rothiemurchus Forest", that encompassed the eastern portion of the 5th-floor. It was mainly populated by elf, nymph, dryad, and treant NPCs, as well as the occasional human NPC, a few unicorns, and some pixies and fairies too. The latter two were decorative NPCs in the game, but he knew that like all others, they became real in the Transfer.

The Great Rothiemurchus Forest was governed by a lvl-90 nymph NPC that served as its area guardian, named Princess Eryka of the Forest.

' _From what I recall, she was created to be kind and compassionate, but threaten her or those under her care, and only hell would await you. Another joint project, but between Alisha and Felix. Hehe… A few times, some invading Players thought we cheated the system by making such a powerful hybrid Druid/Spiritual magic caster NPC. Honestly… You willingly step into territory that benefits your foe, and wonder why your ass got handed to you? Huh. Amateurs…'_

An amused chuckle escaped Gabriel's lips as he neared the collection of cottages which, despite appearances, were far from ordinary. They were the result of using a base-building class item called [Green Secret House]. In YGGDRASIL, they were used by Players as temporary shelter, and despite looking like a simple dwelling, as a magical structure the inside was much larger than the outside. It hosted several rooms that could accommodate several people, with the front entrance able to magically adjust, allowing entry for nearly any occupant.

The ones here were being used as not only shelter for some of the Keep's newest arrivals from the Baharuth Empire **(A/N:Ch.13 &14)**, but also as an experiment in using them for long-term housing and use. As magical items, they could be easily relocated at a moment's notice in the (unlikely) event of a successful invasion of the Keep. Something Gabriel himself had proposed, with Walter and Tamura praising him up and down for the idea. Other structures had been built for storage, housing, and training, but these were their semi-permanent homes.

As he stepped closer to the area, he felt quite a few small draconic presences all around. For a moment he wondered what it was, until recollection flashed in his mind, and as if in response to that a small, winged creature landed on his left shoulder with a purr. There was a small smile on Gabriel's face as he gazed upon the newest occupant of his shoulder; a pseudo-dragon.

They were essentially miniature versions of their larger cousins, typically with a body measuring 1-foot (30.5cm), with a 2-foot (61cm) tail that added to that. Its color was a forest-green as its tail draped over Gabriel's right shoulder, revealing a stinger at the end that could release quite a potent poison. Well, potent for those from the outside world. Gabriel reached over with his right hand to scratch the creature underneath its chin as if it were a cat, and it mewed and hummed in playful satisfaction as its wings flapped happily.

As Gabriel rounded the corner, he turned his head and saw a 13-year-old girl smiling up at him, and he in turn smiled warmly back to her. Her name was Jiselle, and was the youngest of the dozen girls he rescued from Countess "May She Burn in Hell" Rivka. She looked vastly different from the last time Gabriel saw her, as her light-amber eyes absolutely shined with vitality, life, and even joy. Even her skin looked brighter and healthier now.

Her brown hair was now long enough to reach past her waist, and possessed a lustrous sheen that, while not quite on par with the NPCs, still easily surpassed what it once was. She wore a dress that was white and green in color, and wore matching sandals to compliment the look, made from materials that were clearly from the Keep. Just as she was about to say something, the small dragon on Gabriel's shoulder jumped to her, and she caught and lovingly cradled it in her arms as she spoke in a matching tone.

"Mewther~! You found our Lord Gabriel. Good boy~! Teehehee."

The mini-dragon made purring and mewing noises, while Jiselle happily giggled as it wrapped around and nuzzled on her neck. While Gabriel was happy to see her dramatic change from the last time her saw her, several things struck him as curious.

First was the fact that her positive changes seemed almost _too_ drastic. In Gabriel's experience, trauma like hers should take years to recover from. Granted he used his abilities and passives to help that along, and the only other case he had to go on was the elf-girl Miera. With her he used his abilities to reinforce her will and stabilize her emotional state during her training, and with surprisingly good results. He could only conclude that something similar was done by the NPCs on this floor who took care of them.

Second was the that now that he was this close to her, he could sense her presence as if it were draconic. It took a moment for Gabriel to realize the likely cause; her _friendship_ with the pseudo-dragon. Those that earn a pseudo-dragon's trust, will form a symbiotic bond with them, which would then remain for life. He suspected that also aided in her recovery, as well as him now sensing her, and the other girls as well. Which he could detect exiting from the cottages to greet him.

They were all similarly healthy and dressed as Jiselle when they came out to greet him, all with smiles and happy expressions as they joked and jostled each other, all likewise having pseudo-dragons perched on their shoulders, and commenting on their joy that their "Lord Gabriel" had come to visit. Once they all had grouped up, they bowed almost in unison, as if they were like the NPCs, and said…

'"We welcome our liege and savior Lord Gabriel Erin Dracon to our humble environs. How might we serve?'"

Gabriel masterfully concealed his perplexed feelings and reactions as a single thought crossed his mind…

' _What… the hell… have the NPCs been teaching them?'_

He knew from reports that the NPCs had been caring for them, providing support for them, and even training them where applicable, but since his focus was on Miera, he neglected to ask for specific details regarding their care. He knew that they'd be well cared for regardless, so he did not look into it. Now a tinge of regret was sinking into his gut as he pondered on this newest and surprising development…

' _Oh, woooonderful… If their mannerisms, speech, body language, and feelings that I'm sensing is any indication, they likely see me in a similar fashion as the NPCs do. They've likely been instilled with a sense of loyalty and devotion towards me. I didn't even think of the impact of seeing a place like this after saving them would've had. Oy… Alisha would be having a good laugh at my expense seeing this… oversight… Ugh… I should have known better…'_

Gabriel fought the urge to groan and facepalm as he gazed upon the still kneeling girls. In the crowd he also saw the three female assassins and four maids, each in their early-20s, that had been brought here along with the girls, with the group's total number being nineteen. No one stepped up to be the group's leader or representative, telling him that they all saw each other as equals.

The men that formally served as Rivka's guards were training in other locations, and likewise housed in different locations, so the odds of seeing them here were slim. Separating them by gender had no real purpose or meaning beyond wanting them to be able to relax, and not feel pressured or threatened. Gabriel was thankful for explaining _that_ much to his NPCs, before leaving these people in their care. After a moment of processing the situation, he raised his voice to a strong, yet soft timbre that all present could hear.

"Rise and be at ease ladies. I'm simply here to check up on you. Nothing more."

They all did as instructed, with a grace and poise that surprised him greatly, but before he could mull on it further, Jiselle ran up to and hugged him like a daughter happy to see her parent. This shocked those present, but she ignored them as she cutely and cheerfully rubbed her cheek on his abdomen, muttering in matching tones…

"Teeheehee… Still warm.~"

Gabriel smirked as he recalled her saying something very similar when he rescued her, and her "sisters" from Rivka's manor, and simply patted her on the head with his left hand. This made her and the pseudo-dragon still clinging to her giggle. His draconic senses told him that all the small dragons were happy and content with their new "friends". As the girls and young women were approaching, one of the 16-year-olds stepped forward.

"My lord, I hope Jiselle is not bothering you. She is just expressing what we all feel." The young teenager said with an eloquent bow.

He took a moment to look at her features, and Gabriel noticed that like most of the others, her dark blond hair had grown past her waist, with her bright sky-blue eyes shining with admiration, joy, and elation. Gabriel simply smiled as he patted her on the head, and she too giggled.

"Ah, it's fine Jolene. You and everyone else can be at ease and relax." Gabriel said warmly.

Immediately Gabriel regretted saying that, as all of them started to excitedly gather around him and trading bits of conversation that essentially summed up to how happy they were to see their benefactor. Despite the cacophony of disparate conversations, he could make out a set of young girls in the back giggling and muttering "Papa Gabriel", and he fought the urge to groan at the moniker. No matter how oddly accurate it may have been. The sight of the young girls surrounding him like a mob of "daughters" would have been comical to his late wife.

During this one of the former female assassins of Rivka approached on his right side, flanked by her compatriots and the maids as she briefly bowed and smiled knowingly at the situation. She had bright blond hair that, unlike the younger girls, was kept at a more modest length that reached past her shoulders, and it was tied off at the end with a pink ribbon.

Her bright yellow-golden eyes and healthy pink lips had a luminous sheen as the soft light hit them and possessed a solitary dark birthmark at the lower edge of her left eye. Her generous curves and bust was only accentuated by her dress that greatly complimented her fit but still very feminine physique as she softly spoke.

"I hope this isn't making you too uncomfortable, my lord."

"Ah, don't worry about it. It's fine, Calindra."

He lied convincingly of course. He just hoped he could escape the horde of hero worshipping "fangirls" before things got even stranger. Like for example, a couple of girls behind him that was "admiring" and stroking his own long hair resting down his back. Comments on how soft and warm it was being main points.

"Oh, I'm honored that you would remember our names, Lord Gabriel." She remarked humbly.

Gabriel smiled and simply rubbed her head like she was a little girl, and for a moment, both her and the pseudo-dragon on her right shoulder seemed to giggle in unison. He withdrew his hand and then calmly replied.

"Well then Calindra, how have you and everyone else fared so far?"

Gabriel could accurately guess the answer, given the results of their "care" under his NPCs. Still, in his heart he was glad that they were doing so well, and saw no harm in engaging in a little "small talk".

"Oh, words cannot express how we've been doing, our Lord Gabriel! Your realm is truly one cut from the gods themselves. We owe everything to you, our lord and master Gabriel Erin Dracon! Long may you and your line reign!"

All of the girls, young woman, and even the pseudo-dragons shouted in unified agreement to her proclamation. Gabriel was astonished at the scene he saw take place, and could feel their unified will was genuine. Though a part of him was concerned about what would come of this, he was certain that they were much better off for it. Moving his thoughts away from that, he then resolved to change the subject as he spoke casually.

"Ladies, there's no need for you to show your loyalty and devotion. I brought you here because it was the right thing to do. Now then, I understand that while you've been here, the people here have been giving you training as well as care. Tell me how that's progressed."

"Oh, it has been wonderful, Lord Gabriel. Your servants have been teaching us things beyond our wildest dreams~!" Calindra happily said.

"Yeup! The pretty elves have been teaching me magic~! It's hard, but so much fun!" The young Jiselle exclaimed as her small frame continued to cling to him.

"Me too! We all found magical ability since we came to this wondrous realm." The older Jolene excitedly remarked.

As the girls were trading words of agreement, Gabriel simply nodded, knowing full well what happened. The symbiotic bond with their pseudo-dragons had given them each in turn magical resistance, abilities, and potential, which is just one of the benefits to their bond. Other such benefits included communication via telepathy, and being able to see and hear what the other does, though that needs to be consciously "switched" on or off, as well as the empathic ability to feel the emotional state of the other.

Another benefit afforded to their bond was being able to see through invisibility and illusion spells up to the 7th-tier, much like their pseudo-dragons. It was a racial trait that many Players thought was ridiculously over-powered for such low-leveled creatures. As a result, they became prime targets in YGGDRASIL's PVP. Especially when the stronger the Player's abilities became, so did the pseudo-dragon's. A trait that had been carried over into this new world.

Their bond is one of friendship and love. Nearly anyone regardless of class and gender can forge this bond, provided that the pseudo-dragon in question has taken an interest. Although "typically", pseudo-dragons prefer to establish this connection with humanoids, and those with positive karma. Both Gabriel and Tamura speculated that since most of these girls did not have any classes beyond "Servant" and/or "Slave", with the exception of the former assassins, the bond with them made up the difference, giving them magical potential, and something else…

"Aaaah~! Don't say such things, Alleta!" Calindra suddenly exclaimed, blushing profusely as she glared at her mid-length maroon-haired, blue-eyed companion.

"Aw, come on now, Calin.~ Even the girls know about you and that handsome lizardman you've been 'training' with. No need to be shy.~" Alleta said in a teasing tone as she jostled Calindra's right arm with her elbow.

"H-He's been an excellent teacher! I've only truly been able to develop my holy powers thanks to him." Calindra said defensively.

"Ooooh~! It must have been some 'training', for you to be walking back home so funny last night.~" Alleta said mockingly as her right hand covered her lips with a sly grin.

"W-Wha…? How did you…?"

"With my new [Talent] of course.~ It was pitch black for you, but clear as day for me.~"

Calindra blushed tomato-red while all the girls giggled and laughed at her embarrassment and discomfort. Of course, her [Talent] being _new_ , was due to the secondary effect of their bond with an YGGDRASIL pseudo-dragon. This somehow led to spontaneously developing a [Talent], or becoming aware of it if they already possessed one. It added another layer to the mystery, and Gabriel could only conjecture that the "Bonding" with an YGGDRASIL pseudo-dragon affected denizens of this new world differently somehow.

Meanwhile, Gabriel found the scene of the girls teasing Calindra amusing and heartening. He also found himself curious about the fact that one of them obviously entered into a relationship with a lizardman. One with holy power? That narrowed the possibility to only one likely candidate; Gustave. Gabriel smirked at this and began wonder how that came to be…

"Ah! Jullie? What're you…?"

Calindra exclaimed as her pseudo-dragon hopped off her shoulder, as if responding to Gabriel's thoughts, and presented itself to him. He perked a brow at this, as he sensed it was giddy and making chuckling noises. As if it knew something humorous. There was a moment of confusion before he realized what it wanted to do. A pseudo-dragon could telepathically communicate with other draconic beings under certain circumstances and wanted to do the same for him.

' _Hm. This seems the perfect opportunity to test a theory… [Emerald Blessings].'_

Gabriel mentally activated an ability that made his body shine with a warm emerald aura. Then his eyes became enveloped with emerald-colored flames as he lifted his left hand. Extending his left index-finger that was likewise coated in those flames, he pressed it against the pseudo-dragon's forehead, which became enveloped by that flame-like aura without harm. All those present watched in awed fascination as Gabriel's ability took hold.

Developed during his time re-leveling up, he learned to safely disperse his Emerald Flames to others and their surroundings as a means of granting them a measure of protection. The smaller the area covered, the more powerful the level of protection. Those under its protection not only experienced feelings of safety, but warmth as well. He had used it on the elf-girl Miera during his time training her, and aiding in her recovery and development.

Since the flames are part of and an extension of him, they can feel his emotions, mindset, and in some rare cases, even glimpse memories. Since pseudo-dragons are naturally telepathic, Gabriel had a theory that in this case it would work without issue. As he felt his consciousness dive into the little dragon's mind, he felt vindicated that his theory was correct.

' _Okay then little Jullie, what do you have to show me…?'_

* * *

 _Just then his point of view changed to that of the little dragon perched on Calindra's shoulder as she sank her bare form into one of the hot-springs that were available for use in various locations on the 5th-floor. The emotions of the little dragon was of excitement and… anticipation? Something wasn't quite right…_

 _Calindra herself sought out those waters as a way to relax after a hard day's work of chores, training, and lessons provided by the floor's NPCs. Since they had some low-level enchantments to relax, soothe, and revitalize those that soaked in those waters, made it all the better. It was only a few minutes after she had settled into them that the pseudo-dragon's thoughts went to a wistful comment that her newest friend Calindra had made a few days prior…_

 _'Maybe in this wondrous place, I can find a worthy mate…'_

 _Once again, feelings of excitement, humor, and mischief filled the little dragon, as it sensed a presence within the steaming waters with them. It had the biggest toothy grin as a large, shining white form majestically rose from the waters, eliciting a surprised "Eek!", from the still exhausted Calindra. She stared dumbstruck at the equally dumbstruck Area Guardian Gustave, whom was also equally bereft of clothing or garments of any kind._

 _They stared at each other in mute shock, as Calindra's line-of-sight examined the albino lizardman's features. His jaw line was stout and pristine, and his eyes shined like gems with the way the light hit them. He gave off an aura of goodness and nobility that made her feel safe, despite the shock. The way his skin and scales glistened was beautiful to her, and as her sight trailed down, there was a gasp and a flash of warmth from her cheeks and mid-section as she beheld his enormous…_

* * *

Gabriel promptly broke the link as he resisted the urge to facepalm/laugh-out-loud.

' _Oooookay… That's quite enough of that I think…'_ The pseudo-dragon seemed to snicker as Gabriel shook his head.

He understood immediately after seeing that memory and taking in the pseudo-dragon's feelings. Calindra's life was harsh and restrictive, but still held onto the hope of meeting a strong and worthy mate that could bring her happiness. In the little dragon's mind, that meant Gustave, and gently manipulated things into the direction necessary for them to meet. Obviously, its efforts were successful in bringing those two together. Gabriel wore a deadpanned expression as he eyed the pseudo-dragon…

' _Fancy yourself to be a sort of draconic cupid, do you?'_

The little pseudo-dragon tilted its head in confusion and whined a bit, clearly not understanding the term "cupid" that Gabriel had broadcast with his thoughts. He chuckled in reply and gently flicked its forehead as he broadcast his next thought…

' _Never mind, you sneaky little thing… I don't suppose you "arranged" any other pairings?'_

The little dragon proudly displayed itself, as if confirming the question. Before Gabriel could further mull on the actions of the mischievous, draconic matchmaker, the crowd of girls that had effectively boxed him in, began to suddenly disperse. While grateful for being "freed" from the confines of the cage of worshipping young ladies, he was intrigued that the unexpected and welcomed appearance of Gustave would elicit such a reaction.

Then he saw that they dispersed in such a way that gave him a direct line-of-sight to Calindra, and all the while giving teasing smirks at her while she turned cherry red. Gustave then bowed and spoke calmly, with his voice carrying clearly despite still wearing his helm.

"Milord. I did not expect to see you again so soon."

"Ah, it's fine Gustave. What brings you here?"

"Ahem! W-Well, I am here for the Lady Calindra. She has proven herself adept in learning the ways of a paladin, and I have taken it upon myself to instruct her. T-There's nary an issue milord, since it does not impact my duties." Gustave said in a slightly awkward tone as he glanced at a reddened Calindra.

Gabriel chuckled as he fully grasped what was going on. He looked towards Gustave with a knowing smirk since he knew about the "relationship" between him and the former assassin. He then placed a hand on his shoulder and spoke in a mischievous tone...

"Be sure to train her _long_ and _hard_ tonight, Gustave."

He then winked and smirked at him. Though Gabriel couldn't see it through his helm, Gustave's snow-white scales had turned crimson from the subtle implications of his liege-lord's comment, and a ripple of mischievous giggles went through the crowd of young ladies and their respective pseudo-dragons from it. Calindra turned an even deeper shade of red as her comrades heckled and jostled her.

Gabriel however rested his right hand on her shoulder and smiled warmly as he locked eyes with her and spoke calmly, and in understanding.

"Teasing aside, work hard to better yourself Calindra, and enjoy your time with your new, 'significant other'. I really am happy for you, and you have my blessings."

Thanks to Calindra's link with her pseudo-dragon, she could feel that Gabriel was genuine, even if she didn't already have excellent people reading skills. His heartfelt and positive encouragement of her relationship, which would've been condemned and demonized within her own country, only strengthened her resolve. Though not human, Gustave was everything she ever wished for in a mate. He was kind, honorable, and strong of character as well as sword-arm and holy power as a paladin. And as she recalled their nights together, her insides felt _very_ warm.

Smiling like a lovestruck schoolgirl, she marched forward with Gabriel looking on like a proud father seeing off his daughter on her first date, even if it _clearly_ wasn't. The unorthodox couple bowed to each other, and then walked away side-by-side, with the ladies giving them cheers and a standing ovation. Gabriel smiled and shook his head at their antics, and wondered just how much of that was them, or the mischievous natures of their pseudo-dragons seeping in.

' _I should thank Gustave later. Without his timely intervention, I would have been stuck with "entertaining" those girls all day… Heh. I suppose I'm still too much of a softie to force them to leave me be…'_ Gabriel thought to himself with an amused, self-deprecating chuckle.

Now that he was freed from the encirclement of fangirls, he turned to them and spoke with a friendly timbre.

"Well, I must now be off ladies. Take care of yourselves, and like Calindra, continue to improve on what you can do. Not for my sake, but for your own futures, and that of children yet to be born."

The girls looked at each other with knowing, determined expressions, before nodding and then all bowing to Gabriel, along with their pseudo-dragon companions, before speaking out in unison…

'"By your command, Lord Gabriel."'

He smiled and nodded to them in response before he turned and then teleported away with his guild-ring. Once he reappeared, he sighed as he reflected on their final words to him.

' _Oh, terrific... They even used the same phrase as the NPCs. As far as oversights go, I suppose it could have been worse… But still…'_

Gabriel was a bit uncomfortable with the situation. He never wanted or desired the levels of devotion and loyalty that could be misconstrued as blind at best, fanatical at worst. Though the fact that his NPCs were mostly of positive alignment and knowing himself set his mind at ease for now. Especially since he knew that the NPCs would be teaching them the ideals that he and his late wife and guild held to. His thoughts on the matter came to an end as he approached a fortress of stone construction that was incredibly smooth and seamless.

Shining blue crystal formations outlined the fortress that provided additional illumination at night, as well as a number of buffs to NPCs and any other recognized allies of the Keep. Elven Knights, Rangers, and Magic Casters in shining silver and green armor and raiments gave a shout as they saluted with their weapons raised. The intricately draconic designed front gate of the fortress dispelled a magic barrier as it slowly opened outward to welcome him.

As Gabriel walked in, Elven Knights bowed to him briefly as they returned to their duties, and as he walked further in, a massive and immaculate courtyard greeted him. Even more striking than the outside, it could have easily been confused with a palace by those from the outside, instead of a military fortress for what the outside would have considered a, "legendary army".

It was here that invaders would find themselves in order to progress to the next floor, and none ever made it that far. Other than the usual assortment of traps and weather control hazards that could be activated using YGGDRASIL coins, the fortifications were designed to especially hold out against a siege, much like the fortress city-type guild-bases in YGGDRASIL. The AI was designed to take advantage of having the high-ground, and the gates would not open until the defenders had been defeated to the last.

Even then that guaranteed nothing, because the invaders would then be walking into the waiting force of additional POP defenders, led by the 5th-Floor Guardians that greeted him, Janus and Schala Gisharel, looking the same as when he first saw then in this new world. **(A/N:Ch.8)** Well, except for the "brother" Janus, whose main [Divine Class] weapon hung from his back.

Called the [War-Scythe of Tāwhiri], it boasted high critical cutting/slashing damage, and also possessed a wind-elemental enchantment that enhances its lacerating damage, as well as blow-back to keep enemies at a distance when necessary. Combined with his command classes, which allowed him to buff and support allies, he was quite formidable. Thanks to his classes, he could switch to a number of other [Legendary Class] backup weapons if necessary to add to his versatility and unpredictability.

The AI of the "siblings" was also designed to ensure that they'd cover for each other in a fight, making them a deadly combination indeed. The elves bowed to him as the sister spoke for them both, still with her disciplined and stoic facial expression that did nothing to mar her extremely beautiful features.

"We welcome our Lord Gabriel to our fortress. How may we serve?"

At first, Gabriel didn't respond as he took in the surrounding area, and then noticed a group in the distance partaking in training duels in pairs. There was a total of thirty pairs, one human and one elf, and in no time at all Gabriel recognized the humans to be the men that had formally served the deceased Rivka as guards. When they were captured and brought here, they were given a choice to return home with no memory of their experiences, or to aid them. After they recovered from the stupor of seeing the Keep, their answer was almost unanimous.

It was explained by Walter and Tamura to Gabriel that the method would "inspire" them to assist, once they had seen something that challenged all notions of what they had perceived as possible. To show them that something better awaited them, if they were willing to take a leap of faith, and strive for something more. He could not fault the logic in their thinking, since he knew that these men were hardly like the despot they served. Even the ones with slightly questionable characters were better than her.

They and their elven trainers were using simple [Low Class] garb and weapons, and were running a set of drills that focused more on technique and economy of movement in melee, rather than outright strength. Some of the men were armed with only swords, others with a sword/shield combination, and a few with a dual-wield style.

Their elven trainers were armed accordingly as both a mirror of their chosen fighting style, and as a superior version to help hone their abilities. These men had expressed a desire to help the ones whom had taken down Rivka and were training with that purpose in mind. Gabriel then motioned for the siblings to follow as he stepped forward.

"Tell me, how has their training been progressing?" Gabriel asked in curiosity.

"Hm. Slowly, my lord. At first, they were oddly hesitant, even skeptical of accepting instruction from elves, but a few demonstrations later from some of the 'younger' troops, and they were easily convinced." Schala replied in her usual stoic tone.

Janus chuckled lightly as he spoke up in an amused fashion.

"Hehe… You should liven that tale up a bit more, sister. One lvl-20 threw the whole lot of them onto the backs with little effort. I could hardly contain my laughter at the display."

"…"

Though his sister made no sounds, a barely noticeable grin crossed her lips as she thought back on the beginning. The "demonstration" could have easily been a one-sided slaughter as the men looked like struggling turtles that found themselves belly up. It was a comical sight to behold. Meanwhile, Gabriel was not surprised in the least by such a result. The men in question ranged from levels 7 to 10 after all, and against a lvl-20 POP that was fully equipped in magical gear? It would have been no contest.

Especially when, much to Gabriel's surprise, they'd somehow retained their combat memories and experiences from when the Keep was still in YGGDRASIL. Even the ones that had "fallen" in the line of duty and been "revived" by the Keep's auto-revive mechanic for POPs. In contrast, the area and floor guardians that had fallen in battle had not, and described their memories of past battles as "hazy", at best.

Whether this was due to the paid revival mechanic differing from the POPs, or a type of mod or lore setting his late-wife had included, he could not say. Still, Gabriel knew the implications. In addition to having an army that outclasses nearly any other on the continent in terms of levels and gear, they were battle hardened veterans that had the cumulative experience of years under their belts, as well as the ability to learn from each encounter that killed them, and continue to learn and grow as a result. An advantage that could shake nations if it got out.

"Hmm… Tell me, how long ago have each of them started using a [Ring of Growth]?" Gabriel inquisitively asked.

"Ah, roughly one-week ago, as per your instructions, my lord. As my creator would phrase it, even the weakest 'scrub' among them saw improvement. Their education and devotion have proven to be their best and most admirable assets…" Janus replied with a smile, as his sister then chimed in with a more neutral, professional manner.

"Also per your instruction my lord, they have been instructed to keep those items equipped."

"Good work you two. Continue monitoring their progress and keep Tamura informed."

'"By your command, Lord Gabriel."' The siblings replied in unison.

They stopped roughly 10-feet (3m) away from the training group as Gabriel folded his arms and watched on as the training routines continued. Thanks to his time traveling with and training the elf-girl Miera, he learned a great deal about how to approach training someone from this new world, and passed his findings on accordingly.

"Tell me Schala, have any of our troops been able to learn these new world '[Martial Arts]', during the training of these 'recruits'?" Gabriel asked plainly, keeping his attention on the crowd.

"…"

Schala hesitated to answer for a moment, earning a worried glance from her brother, before she ruefully sighed, answering her liege-lord.

"My apologies my lord, but I regret that none have been able to learn these '[Martial Arts]'…"

Her sentence was cut short as Gabriel turned to her and smiled as he places his left hand on her right shoulder and spoke reassuringly.

"You have nothing to apologize for Schala. This outcome was expected after all. I merely wished to see if it was possible. Now? We have our answer. So, banish whatever feelings of failure you may have. Everything is fine."

His words rang true, and Schala could acutely feel it. Gabriel already had a good idea it wouldn't have been possible, since as a basic rule, the levels and abilities of the NPCs were maintained by the guild-base itself. Altering that would require a lot more than simple training after all. Still, confirmation was useful regardless.

As Gabriel turned back to continue watching the training in progress, with the sounds of shouts and ringing of metal-on-metal, Schala did a slight head-bow to him as a subtle blush formed on her cheeks. A grin formed on her brother's face, which immediately vanished as she glared at him. Janus innocently looked up and to the side as he scratched the back of his head, humming a random note from a song he recalled their liege-lord singing in the past.

Despite Schala's annoyed countenance, the tune appeared to soften up her features as she turned her attention back to the training group. Janus meanwhile relaxed his posture when he saw his sister was no longer paying attention and smiled again. Just then the training routines came to an end, and each pair sheathed their weapons and bowed to each other with exchanged words of courtesy and thanks. When they turned to leave, all of them froze and then kneel when they saw Gabriel, who then sighed as he stepped forward.

"Be at ease and stand, knights and trainees of the Keep."

The human men appeared momentarily confused by the proclamation and then looked to their trainers as if asking they had heard correctly. The elven men and women smiled and nodded in reply, and they all stood up almost in unison. A soft, proud smile creased Gabriel's lips when he saw this exchange, knowing such a camaraderie was built between these disparate groups. To him it was a positive sign, and further reinforced the positive reports he had received.

"I watched your performance in training these newest additions to the Keep. You're doing well thus far and should be proud." Gabriel said in a firm, yet reassuring tone.

The lead Elf Knight of the group, a female with bright jade-green eyes, steps forward and bows with elegance and grace as she speaks with strength and eloquence in equal measure.

"You honor and humble us with such praise our liege-lord. Though we cannot hope to perform even half as well as your lordship in the training of new recruits, we shall nonetheless continue to strive to deliver the best results that we are capable of, and bring honor to you, and your glorious Keep."

Gabriel placed his left hand upon her shoulder and bade her to lift her head, and when she did her gaze saw her master smiling with pride and confidence. She felt her heart skip a beat as a slight blush rose to the surface of her cheeks. To her, it was akin to seeing the morning sun shining down upon her. To know that she met her master's expectations…

"I know you will… Ayla." Gabriel said solemnly.

A state of utter shock and stupefaction struck the Elf Knight. To think that her master would even bother to know the name of a lowly knight like herself… And glancing behind him, even the esteemed floor guardian siblings were taken aback. Truly, she was blessed this day, and she nearly stumbled over her words as she replied, barely able to hold back her joy.

"Y-Your words and magnanimity humbles us, and I do render a thousand thanks on behave of my myself and all present here."

"You are very welcome, Ayla. You and yours have more than earned it many times over, and I thank you for your service." Gabriel said in gratitude and sincerity.

Earning a quivering lip and head-bow from the overjoyed Elf Knight, Gabriel smiled softly as he turned his attention to the men gathered. The man opposite the elf hurriedly but crisply bowed his head, indicating his role as their leader. Noting the man's nervousness, Gabriel spoke softly, like a parent soothing a child as he relaxed what must have seemed an imposing figure, since he was easily a foot and a head taller than they were.

"Be at ease and raise your head, good man. You have nothing to fear."

He seemed to visibly relax at that as he then rose his head. He was the oldest in the group, easily being in his 30s, and sported short cut brown hair and blue eyes. Gabriel briefly glanced at the others, and noted that like him, their hair was likewise shortcut, with the few exceptions having a bit of hair tied at the base of their necks. The telltale signs of men in training. Just as his attention went back to the lead man, there was a flash of recognition as he spoke.

"Ah, I remember you. Basil Poledouris, isn't it?" Gabriel commented casually.

"Y-You honor me, your lordship. I-I did not expect one as great as you would think me noteworthy." The man replied, obviously shaken and surprised from the recognition.

"Ah, yes indeed. You were quite noteworthy. Out of everyone I rendered unconscious, yours was the thickest skull of the bunch." Gabriel replied with a mischievous smirk.

As the man named "Basil" lowered his head in blushing embarrassment, a soft chorus of stifled chuckles and laughs went through the group of trainees and elves. In that moment, all tension seemed to wash away from the rest of the group, and a sense of jovial tranquility settled in. The humorous jab had the desired effect, and everyone seemed much more at ease. Gabriel then chuckled with them good-naturedly as he spoke.

"Hehe… Well then, from your honest point of view, has the training been going well?"

"A-Ah, yes your lordship! Very much so! You wish me to speak for truth, so I will say that it has been difficult, but _very_ rewarding. Your dominion is truly awe-inspiring. Our former homeland pales before this, and we are grateful for this chance." Basil passionately says as he bows his head, with the others quickly following suit.

Gabriel looked upon them with a scrutinizing gaze, and saw and felt nothing but sincerity and solidarity from each of them. The use of the phrase "former homeland" particularly caught his attention. Just like the girls, it seemed that their "education" from the NPCs had an enormous impact upon them. As they rose their heads at his word, he saw in their eyes energy, life, joy, and most importantly of all, hope. Their lives had found new meaning and purpose now…

"Someone once told me, that the value of inspiration can't be weighed in gold. That it's impact can lead to life changing consequences, and that it is greatest when it's for the better. I see that you have learned this firsthand. Especially now that your knowledge far eclipses what you had believed of the world, and being beyond your imaginations. That the mythic is reality. That facts now fuel your dreams. That your newfound knowledge allows you to triumph over doubt, and brings you hope. Let that inspiration carry you forward, as you strive to better yourselves, and your futures."

As Gabriel spoke, the timbre of his voice seemed to resonate with them and fill them with even more determination and energy. They served the powerful and influential all their lives within the Baharuth Empire. Merely pawns in their games, and never once did anyone seem to care about them or their well-being. Only what they could do for them.

Here? They mattered, they were cared for, and if even half the tales told of their new liege-lord were true, they served one whom would not cast them aside. Though they could not explain how or why, their brief meeting with this man only served to reinforce their collective belief that they made the right choice. It's like the man possessed an aura that resonated with them on an instinctive level, and spoke with great presence and charisma. Like they were meant to listen to and follow this man. Basil then bowed on behalf of the group and spoke.

"Thank you for your wise words, your lordship. I promise we will take your wisdom to heart, and strive not to disappoint you."

Gabriel smiled and nodded in satisfaction, and a measure of pride as well as he replied.

"Hm… I know. I never doubted it. In fact, to reward you and the rest, I hereby grant you lot the rest of the day off. Enjoy yourselves, and return tomorrow with that same drive."

A wave of surprised "ohs" and "ahs" traveled through the ranks of the human trainees and the Elf Knights, utterly shocked by the declaration. However, no objections were given, and they all bowed in acknowledgement. He waved them off to disperse with a kind smile, and as they did so, Gabriel could hear them frantically speaking in hushed whispers with his enhanced hearing.

"A day off? Just like that? Truly, our liege-lord is the kindest in this land..."

"Indeed! His magnanimity is beyond compare!"

"Yeah. We've received more time off in nearly two months, than the past six months before. I still shudder at the times we worked for that bitch for three months at a time without even a single day to ourselves…" One said with obvious disdain and anger.

"Quiet now! That's in the past. What matters is the present, and our future. We'll form up again tomorrow morning at the usual time and place. Until then, rest and enjoy this gift from his lordship." Basil quietly and firmly reinforced.

They all nodded in the affirmative, and went their separate ways in the courtyard, never aware that Gabriel had eavesdropped on their little exchanges. He smirked lightly as he then turned his attention to the floor guardian siblings, with Janus speaking up in awed and cheery tones.

"That was most generous, my lord. I am sure that their 'significant others', as my creator once put it, will be happy as well."

"M-hmm."

His sister lightly hummed in agreement as she closed her eye and lowered her head with a slight smirk of her own. Gabriel perked a brow at this until his keen senses picked up happy, and rather amorous emotions from the area behind him. He turned his head, and at the corner of his left eye, saw that nearly each of the human trainees had rendezvoused with different Elf Knights than from the ones before.

From the body language and brief snippets of hush exchanges, he could tell that they were rather… close. One of the male Elf Knights grabbed one of the human men from behind, and it was a rather _welcomed_ action as they smiled affectionately at each other. A scene that replayed with the female-to-male couples. Gabriel shook his head as he then recalled the pseudo-dragon affectionately named "Jullie", and used his [Ring of Message] to get in contact with her.

Through the [Message] link, the pseudo-dragon's telepathic abilities easily came through and readily acknowledged its master's hail.

 _[Jullie, did you and yours play games of "matchmaker" with the male human trainees?]_

The small dragon could be heard chuckling on the other end of the [Message] link as it replied in the affirmative. It offered to share its memories of their "efforts" to pair up the men over the course of their stay but Gabriel declined, and cut off the link as he groaned and pinched the base of his nose. He knew that pseudo-dragons were mischievous by nature, so he couldn't say that he was surprised. Just stunned at their shenanigans, and was simply grateful that no real harm was done. But a thought occurred to him nonetheless…

' _This has Alisha written all over it… She had a similar habit of trying to "ship" people together…'_

"My lord? Is all well?"

Schala's voice rang out, and in a softer tone than he would normally expect from her. He simply sighed and replied with a chuckle.

"Hehe… Ah yes, I'm fine Schala. Just a small revelation regarding the pseudo-dragons caught me by surprise. Speaking of which, keep an eye on them and their antics, okay?"

Schala bowed, slightly blushing and showing subtle signs of discomfort and embarrassment at the mention of the cat-sized dragonkins, eliciting an amused smirk from Janus as he looked off to the side. Just as she was about to glare back at her brother, Gabriel gently patted her head, getting a shocked reaction from her.

"From what I've seen, the both of you are doing a good job here, and I have complete faith in the two of you. Be sure to keep it up." He says with a reassuring smile.

The siblings are taken aback by the praise, but at the same time are seen to be happy about it, as they then bow and speak in unison.

'"Thank you very much, my lord. By your command."'

"Alright then. Now if you would, show me to the next floor." Gabriel says casually.

'"At once, my lord!"' The siblings once again say in stereo.

As they turn on their heel to escort their master to the gates leading to the next floor, Gabriel could only chuckle as he smiles upon them.

' _They may not be full-blooded siblings, but the way they reply together in unison is amusing. Frederick and Alisha did a good job on them…'_

Gabriel's thoughts came to an end when they reach a massive marble-white gate, with intricate designs of giant majestic trees with images of all the races on the floor gathering beneath them, and formations of crystals at the base. Curiously a new design that wasn't there the last time Gabriel gazed upon it, included images of male and female humans joining the multi-racial group.

' _Huh. Does this symbolize the races that had taken up residence here? Hm. Questions for later.'_

The twins each placed a hand on the gate, and which shined with blinding blue and green light as it split down the middle, and smoothly opened inwardly. Each sibling stepped to either side and bowed with their right hand and arm over their chest as Gabriel stepped into the threshold of the gate. A long 20-meter (65.7ft) tunnel of smooth blue-quartz greeted him as a golden light beckoned him at the end. He then turned his head, smiled, and spoke.

"I'll be off now… Oh. Do try and relax, Schala. One cannot be serious all the time. Seek out moments of levity for yourself. I'm sure your brother Janus can help with that." Gabriel said with a knowing grin as he winked with his left eye, signifying Janus' covered one.

"I… I will try, my lord." The immortal-elf acknowledged with a blush and head-bow.

"Heh… Very good. And you Janus, be sure to take care of that."

"Oh, with pleasure my lord." Janus replies with a surprised, yet amused smile.

Gabriel chuckles and nods at the display, and steps into the tunnel, and the gates automatically close behind him. The siblings meet in the middle as they stare at the gate as if they could still see their master on the other side. There was a moment of silence before Janus then broke it with a thoughtful tone.

"Lord Gabriel seems a bit better now, doesn't he?"

"Hm. He does. His journey into the outside world helped him. I know the Lady Alisha would be pleased with this. We need not worry for now. He is our master after all." Schala replied with an equally thoughtful and relieved tone.

"Yes, you're right sister. Although… Hehe… As expected of Lord Gabriel. He saw right through you, and spoke aloud exactly what I was thinking." Janus said with a triumphant grin.

Schala did not rise to meet the jab. She stood ramrod straight with arms folded on top of each other as she continued facing forward with a blank, deadpanned expression. This confused her brother, as he surely expected a glare at best, or a harsh rebuke at worst. Then suddenly, her long mane of hair came alive, and changed its shape into a coiled polearm, and within the same moment, the tip rammed down upon his right foot…

*SMASH*

"Gah!"

Janus held his foot and hopped on one leg as he grimaced.

"Ah! Sister! How could you?"

"Oh? How could I what? Rise to meet your 'jab' with one of my own?" She said with a calm, almost lazy tone.

"Keh! Very funny, sister. I don't believe that is what our lordship meant when he said to seek, 'moments of levity'." Janus replied with a pained, annoyed tone as he gently set his foot down.

"I don't know. I _am_ quite amused…" Schala said in a mocking tone as she turned to walk away.

As she did however, her hair changed its shape again into a large, whip-like form that then proceeded to harshly strike his buttocks.

*THA-WACK*

"Gah! By the Creators, would you have mercy sister?!" Janus pleaded as he bucked forward from the sting of the blow.

"Hmm… I suppose… Now come on. We still have duties to perform before we can relax…"

Though Schala's tone was calm and nonchalant, her countenance sported a victorious grin that went unseen as Janus followed from behind with a limp.

"Guh! Understood sister… Dear High Lords, I fear I pity the man that you wed…"

Janus grimaced as his mouth ran away from his senses. Though to his relief and surprise, instead of another backlash, his sister simply continued walking, her tone still even.

"Hmph! And I pity the poor woman that must bed someone with as much stamina as you. As I recall, you single-handedly cut-down the group of fools that tried to intrude upon our master's glorious Keep."

"Heh… Shall take that as a complement, sister." He said in an aloof manner, while his sister wore an unseen, disappointed expression at her failed jab.

Janus smirked as he recalled the event in question. From their perspective it was scarcely a day before the New World Transfer had occurred, that an incursion of Players tried to invade the Keep. His sister stood to the side watching the melee, as per their settings in the game, she only got involved when the number of enemies reached a certain threshold, if she's directly attacked herself, or his "HP" had hit the "red-zone".

Due to how their defenses were setup, the invaders could only trickle in one or two at a time, and thanks to support from the POPs, which included healing and other automatic defenses, as well as the buffs received from their floor's arena, he was never outmatched. When all was said and done, by the time his sister did jump in, he had already cut down his tenth and final foe. All that was left to do was to collect the spoils, due to YGGDRASIL's mechanic of defeated Players "dropping" a single random piece of equipment.

They both smiled as they recalled when the Lady Alisha had arrived in the aftermath, she was beyond ecstatic by the "haul" the failed invasion brought in. This included ten [Relic Class] items, fifteen [Legendary Class] items, and five [Divine Class] items being dropped. Though the death penalty system was already unfair to begin with, any who managed to make it to the 5th and 8th-floors would trigger a field that manipulated "Luck" and probability for those floors.

This would ensure the most favorable outcomes for allies and defenders, but an unexpected bonus was that it also increased the odds of the most valuable of items being dropped. This had served as an excellent deterrent against invasion most of the time. The downside to this was the drain it forced upon the Treasury was gargantuan. They virtually hemorrhaged their gold stores when used. So, it was only present on two floors, and activated only upon an intrusion of those floors. Of course, it was now shutdown, along with many other automatic defenses.

Just then Schala smiled and recalled something Lady Alisha had once mockingly said about their defenses…

' _There are those that call Nazarick's defenses unfair and "cheap". Teeheehee… Especially with their [Teleportation] traps that separate healers from their main groups. But at least they can't say those defenses rob them blind. I mean, really! Crying sour grapes when you invade someone else's base and expect things to be fair? What foolish, spoiled children…~'_

"Come on, brother. Let us finish our rounds. I am sure our fellow guardians would enjoy a bit of reminiscing about times past." Schala said in an uncharacteristically happy tone, which elicited a warm smile from Janus.

"Aye. Right behind you, sister."

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 6th-Floor: Shrine of Souls**

While traversing the tunnel, Gabriel mentally noted that it would have been filled to the brim with traps of all sorts in the game. YGGDRASIL forbade and ruthlessly fined those that made "invincible" bases with impassable obstacles, by way of the "Ariadne System". This can only be triggered if the invaders were "locked up", without any ways forward and back. It checked the "validity" of a base, and "flagged" those in breach of the rules.

Of course, there were ways around this problem. Gabriel recalled his talks with "Sir" Touch-Me, Bellriver, Bukubukuchagama, Yamaiko, and Ankoro Mocchi Mochi, whom were the only ones in that guild who knew of his and Alisha's true natures, due to their friendships IRL. Something that they kept to themselves for a number of reasons.

According to them, one of their solutions was the teleportation traps, and a system where the teleportation gates that warped Players to the next floor could actually warp them somewhere else. Like back to the beginning of the floor for example. Though this had some limits attached to it thanks to the Ariadne System, it was often a good way to delay, encumber, and/or lead invading parties into an ambush. Especially if parties were separated from each other. Since the ways in or out of Nazarick where never sealed, it didn't count against them in the eyes of the Ariadne System, or the "shitty devs".

While Dracon's Keep also had teleportation traps, they weren't used as extensively as they were in Nazarick. Instead, each floor was connected via tunnels like this one. Their size did not shift to accommodate the size of the Players, so the tunnels were only as wide as four to five Players of average size that stood shoulder-to-shoulder with each other, and maybe two to three Players tall to the ceiling.

So, they made for a perfect way to funnel and confine groups of Players into an enclosed area, without actually trapping them. When the magical traps began their work, intruders found themselves bombarded on all sides with a torrential downpour of death, with little space to maneuver. To keep things unpredictable, the types of traps would vary for each tunnel to each new floor. As an added bonus, the gates back to the previous floor could still open after being closed, but they would open very... slowly.

They danced close to the boundaries of the Ariadne System's rules, but it proved effective, and it highlighted the general design philosophy of the base as a whole. Meaning, if one invaded, be prepared to suffer for every step taken forward. Of course, Gabriel was not the sole "architect" of this design philosophy. Sure, he and the rest of their guild had some input, but in the end, it was Alisha who spearheaded those efforts, followed by Felix and a few others who followed on her coattails.

Gabriel's thoughts then came to an end, for as he stepped out of the tunnel, he was nearly overwhelmed by the sensations he was experiencing. First was the blinding white and golden light that forced him to shield his eyes. Then the all-encompassing feeling of warmth. As if he had returned to a home he never knew he had. Then there was the mix of sounds, made up of chants, wind chimes, rustling of trees, and the wind. They blended together so well, it could have been a symphony for the hears, as well as the soul.

He opened his eyes, and even he could not help but be awed by the sight before him. A shining white and golden area with temples, buildings, and gardens of Greco-Roman designs at their core, but at the same time, having a somewhat modern/futuristic spin. Everything felt "holy", in nearly every sense of the word. From the bluish-white crystalline spires that reached up into the skies of dawn's light, to the floating platforms and buildings in the air, and the magnificent fountains, springs, and waterfalls in the distance. If one was not moved, then they were dead inside.

Angels in glistening gold and white armor could be seen in the distance flying in formation, along with pegasi riding humans who were similarly garbed. There was a moment of profound introspection and stillness as Gabriel's thoughts raced…

' _Aaaah... It's even more fantastic now than it was in the game. While Mercer got to create Cassiel, Felix and Alisha got to work on the 6th-Floor, "Shrine of Souls". The idea behind it was to create a place that truly defined the word, "holy". A place where the soul and spirituality was venerated over any one specific religion, but those without evil intent and malice could practice their religion regardless. This place absolutely radiates positive energy. Any being with negative karma values and/or a vulnerability to the holy element would not get very far without high-level protection against it. Although, it required the use of YGGDRASIL coins to use so unless needed it was shut off. But now? If the lore holds up, any weak, evil being that steps foot here would be brought to their knees, and good aligned beings would be moved to tears. Like they had come home. Heh… No wonder… Wait, then that means…'_

His thoughts ceased as the most important of his senses was moved to its core. Ever since he mastered his new abilities, he found himself able to sense and feel the souls of others around him to an extent. The byproduct of the fact that he now essentially carried two souls within him, and his powers over the Emerald Flame bore some similarities to this new world's [Wild Magic], which was a magical art derived from souls. Right now, Gabriel was sensing souls all around him, through an ability called, "[Soul Senses]".

This prompted him to recall the bit of lore that his late wife had written into the floor. That a "Well of Souls", could be found in this place where pure, untainted, blank slates of souls reside. Souls that had never been incarnated into a life before. Gabriel continued to think on the matter as he walked through the streets, seeing the humans and angels alike bow to him, giving greetings to their liege-lord as he waved to them for carry on with their business...

' _If I remember correctly, in the game it was simply a gimmick. A decoration with a written story, saying that this "Well of Souls" would always be full, so long as the "lifeblood of Dracon's Keep" remained bountiful... Heh. Knowing my wife's love of hyperbole and metaphor, since the very teachings of [Blood Magic] is basically marinated in it, the Keep's "lifeblood" likely refers to the Treasury's stock of YGGDRASIL gold coins. This place couldn't run without them…'_

Gabriel was taken out of his thoughts as a brilliant light shined down upon him. As he looked up he saw Cassiel Andrea Curie, the Guardian of the 6th-Floor **(A/N:Ch.8)** , in her true form as six massive wings spread out as she gracefully floated down to him. A star shaped halo of dazzling blue and white light hovered above her head, making her gold and white colored [Divine Class] armor, trimmed with silver and platinum absolutely sparkle. Gabriel smiled for a moment...

' _Heh... Trying to show off with your [Heavenly Aura], Cassiel? Doubtful. Odds are this is just her way of greeting her master on her floor...'_

When the tips of her toes gently touched down, her wings faded from view, and her halo's light likewise faded, along with her passive, [Heavenly Aura]. The passive radiated a constant wave of good/positive/holy energy. With it, evil beings suffer penalties to stats and damage-dealing unless equal in power to her. Although, this can be a double-edged sword, due to the fact that "friendly-fire" is now possible.

Despite that potential problem, good-aligned entities are slowly healed in combat. The rate of which is affected by factors such as base level and race. Still, the passive can feel overwhelming to lower-leveled beings, though its intensity can be adjusted, or shut-off completely by Cassiel's will. Much like she had just done when she touched down, and greeted her master Gabriel with a refined and graceful bow that would make royalty and nobles jealous.

"My lord, I welcome you to the 6th-Floor 'Shrine of Souls'. It is so good to see you again after so long away exploring the outside world.~" Cassiel said in a warm, soothing voice.

"You as well, Cassiel. I trust all has been well lately?" Gabriel asked in a calm, almost friendly manner as he motioned for them to walk as they converse.

"Ara~! Indeed, my lord.~ Though there have been worries about our master, Walter, Tamura, and myself have been able to assuage such concerns."

"Thank you, Cassiel. Your devotion to loyalty, duty, and compassion is greatly appreciated. I couldn't ask for more." Gabriel said in a proud tone.

"Oh, my dear master. My humblest of thanks.~" She happily said with a bow.

"Hehe. You are welcome, Cassiel. Especially since you're getting along so well with Astraea." Gabriel replied with an amused chuckle.

"Um... Hehe. It is as you say, master."

As Cassiel awkwardly chuckled, she was reminded of the series of events that led her to finally reaching an understanding with the named 2nd-Floor Guardian. **(A/N:Ch.8 &9)** Granted, they still didn't care for each other, but they had taken their master's words of wisdom to heart. They even found that they had more in common than expected. Although they could not call it a "friendship", they both held pride for working up to a better place than just simple tolerance.

' _Ah~… I don't know what came over me. Such behavior is unfit for a servant of our master. Especially during these uncertain times...'_ Cassiel idly thought.

"By the way, Cassiel. Have you and yours revealed yourselves to our newest 'additions' to the Keep?" Gabriel asked with a perked brow.

"Oh, heavens no. We have not, my lord. Lady Tamura and Lord Walter were quick to inform us of some of the religious and spiritual views of this new world, and you were quite clear in your instructions to us. Until the time and situation is appropriate, we will be careful to reveal ourselves to any not originally from the Keep." Cassiel dutifully answered.

"Very good, Cassiel. You have my thanks, and until further notice, be sure to keep it that way."

"By your command, my lord."

One of the problems that Gabriel was concerned about, was how angels were viewed in this new world. The reverence they were held exceeded that of even his own world, and despite all the new arrivals had seen and been through, the LAST thing he wished was to have divinity ascribed to him. A human that commanded legions of angels? Just the angel POPs could cause chaos and upheaval upon the societal, religious, and theological aspects of nearly every country on this continent with their mere presence alone.

Gabriel was beyond thankful that his NPCs were thoughtful enough to grasp his reasons, and even shared in his distaste at the very notion of people worshipping them.

' _Good God, things are complicated enough as it is, without opening that can of worms. I for one DON'T want to be confused with anything godly, and I CERTAINLY don't want cults to spring up because of me. I've dealt with more than my fair share of cults in my time on Earth...'_ Gabriel grimly thought as he bore a deathly serious expression.

Even from what they had learned from the Drake Rider Country, they knew of certain religious "differences" that had developed in this world. In particular, the Slane Theocracy's worship of the "Six Great Gods", whom he suspected were actually Players of YGGDRASIL before him, and the derivative religion called the, "Temple of the Four Great Gods". The fact that an entire country was run via a theocratic government was bad enough, but it was just more bad news after that.

Even with the Drake Rider Country's isolationist policies, they knew a surprisingly great deal on the subject. In particular, the Slane Theocracy seemed to have an extremely low opinion of the Four Great Gods religion, which was seen as a knock-off at best, and a heretical perversion at worst. Then there were the religious and spiritual disagreements, which seemed an inevitable consequence in these matters.

The one that immediately caught his attention was how the Four Gods religion viewed the angel summons used in battle by the Theocracy. In that their priests had put forward that the "angels", were little more than constructs of mana, created through the power and will of the summoner. In contrast the Theocracy claimed, often vehemently, that the angels were called forth from the heavens themselves, as was their place as messengers of the gods.

Gabriel could accurately guess what had happened after that, without having to read the report in question. The word "tension" did not seem strong enough to accurately describe the divide these diametrically opposing views created. The only reason this had not blown up into a full religious war or crusade in all these years, was due to the mutual threats the human countries faced from non-human threats, and thus a balance was created. A balance he had absolutely no desire in upsetting.

This was further aided by the fact that the Theocracy's edicts preached that humans needed to work together for the strength and safety of all humans. Indeed, despite their reputation as a nation of religious fanatics that would happily kill off, and/or enslave all other races if they could, they were also known as the, "Guardians of Humankind".

Even the she-monster Bwynleah that Gabriel defeated and killed **(A/N:Ch.7)** , acknowledged in her notes that the only reason the surrounding human nations had not been invaded by any of the stronger non-human nations, was due to the very existence of the Theocracy. If they fell, the other human nations wouldn't be far behind. It was they who created the system used by the now prevalent "Adventurer's Guild" who, despite the misleading name, ensured increased security for some of the weaker human nations.

Despite some of their national policies that frankly made him sick, like the extermination and/or enslavement of non-humans, he could not deny that they had done more to keep the human race from going extinct than any other nation combined. Even Bwynleah seemed VERY wary of them. A detail that _definitely_ caught his attention...

' _That monstrous bitch was genuinely worried about drawing their attention, but why? She was a lvl-90 entity armed with a [World Class Item], for cryin' out loud! Granted, humans are immune to Yogg possession_ **(A/N:Ch.7 &8)** _, and they are the strongest human nation here, but that couldn't have been all. So, what did she know about them that she didn't leave in her notes?'_

Gabriel's disturbed thoughts came to an end when he noticed the Angel-Seraphim NPC looking upon him with concern. Cassiel seemed to sense his worries as she then spoke in a gentle tone.

"My lord, if I may, needlessly worrying over things we do not know serves no real purpose. As my creator and your fellow High Lord would say, 'Worry and doubt serves only to weigh down good reason and common sense.' So please master, be at peace. Whatever it is that troubles you so, I am sure that time and effort will reveal all."

Gabriel smiles and chuckles at the guardian as he brushes away a few bangs of her long hair away from her neck, like a parent straightening the looks of his child.

"Hehe. You know, Alisha would have said something similar. Though I'm sure you already knew that... Thank you, Cassiel. That helps a great deal."

"Oh! Um, you honor me, my lord!" Cassiel hurriedly replies with an embarrassed blush.

Gabriel simply smiles in amusement at the reaction as he muses to himself.

' _I swear, it's like I'm surrounded by schoolgirls... Oy... Regardless, point taken. Both Alisha and Mercer would have said something like that, and that leads me to the next logical conclusion; when the time is right, the first place I'll be sending my spies, will be the Slane Theocracy. And I think I know just who to send... But first thing's first...'_

His idly thoughts cease as he lifts his left hand to his ears and activates his [Ring of Message] to connect to the Guardian of the 7th-Floor, Tabbis Ezekiel Kindler.

 _[Tabbis. Can you hear me?]_

 _[...]_

There was silence on the other end of the [Message] while Cassiel looked upon her master with a curious expression. Then a soft reply in the form of a grunt was all that Gabriel received.

 _[Hm.]_

There was a soft sigh of annoyance from Gabriel as he recalled Tabbis' settings **(A/N:Ch.8)** , and decided to simply press on.

 _[I will be arriving to your floor presently. I want you to have both Ripp Van Wynkle and Fulquard Audrey III with you at the gates to the 8th-floor before I arrive. Understood?]_

 _[...! Hm...]_

 _[Good. Then I'll see you shortly...]_

Gabriel could tell that the Vampire Ninja was quite perturbed by the given order before the [Message] link was severed. An understandable reaction, since he would automatically assume the worst when calling upon two of the "Worst Three" for a meeting. In truth, Gabriel was simply wanting to ensure that, much like he had with Inanna on the 5th-floor, he gets his point across that he will not tolerate them stepping out of line. He would've said as much to Tabbis, but he no longer had the patience for a one-sided conversation with the mute vampire.

' _I mean it, Jon. If I ever see you again, I'm going to hug you first, then dislocate your jaw second. That's a promise...'_ Gabriel idly thought in annoyance.

"My lord? Is everything alright?" Cassiel asked with serious concern.

"Ah, yes. It's fine, Cassiel. I simply want to ensure those children on the 7th-floor will continue to behave themselves is all." Gabriel calmly reply.

"Ara~! I see. I perfectly understand, my lord."

There was a knowing, amused chuckle from the Seraphim NPC as she understood her master's intentions all too well. Having received of some of his disciplining herself **(A/N:Ch.8 &9)**, she felt it appropriate that the "troublemakers" of the Keep should receive it as well.

"Well master, shall I escort you to the gates to the 7th-floor?"

"Please do."

With that acknowledgement, a playful smile spread over Cassiel's lips as her wings materialized and she took flight. Likewise, Gabriel invoked his Emerald Flames and followed closely behind, eliciting captivated "ohs" and "ahs" from nearby NPCs as they marveled at the slight of their master flying next to their Floor Guardian.

In the distance, Gabriel could see the small floating castle above the gates to the next floor that served as Cassiel's living quarters. The gates below was gold, white, and silver, and depicted a scene of an army of angels flying alongside a dragon in defense of a world. Gabriel always wondered at the symbolism behind that bit of artistry.

He never got around to asking Alisha before her passing, but now he could only assume that it represented the guild, and its willingness to be the guardian angels for those that could not defend themselves. Something the guild prided itself on as an anti-PKer guild. Or the "fun police", as some often said of them. It brought a grin to his face, as he recalled the PKers they had dispersed like panicking roaches in the game, as his thoughts then turned to his late wife...

 _'Angel, I really wish you could've seen this place come alive. All those hours you passionately poured into crafting and creating everything was all well worth it...'_

During his idle thoughts, he failed to notice that Cassiel was glancing at him with a relaxed smile as she too was absorbed in her own thoughts...

 _'Our master still misses our dearest Lady terribly. I can feel it. But it warms my heart to see him smile like that. Though he's not there yet, I have faith that he will get there. He is out master after all... He who is above even us angels...'_

Their mutual thoughts ceased as he and Cassiel descended to the gates, and before they had even touched down, they opened for Gabriel to continue his tour of the Keep. To the 7th-floor's "Village of Dusk"...

* * *

 ***A/N: Hey peoplez! I'm REALLY sorry that it took so freaking LONG to get this out. I've had a lot of distractions between work, personal stuff, and of course new vid games coming out. What?! I do have over hobbies. :P Hehe. Anyways, I hope to get the next chapter out sooner, so we'll see what happens. Keep an eye out when it does. Until next time!***


	18. Chapter 18-A Day in the Keep:Final

**Chapter 18-A Day in the Keep: Final**

 **Dracon's Keep, 7th-Floor: Village of Dusk**

As Gabriel stepped out of the connecting Floor Tunnel, he was greeted next with the sight of a beautiful and picturesque tropical jungle-type environment. The air was warm and thick, but it was not so oppressive as to be unbearable. The orange hue color of the fake sky provided light, and yet at the same time cast deep shadows where the light could not reach. The low rumble of thunder was promised from the few clouds above, thought it didn't look or feel like rain was coming any time soon.

Not far from his position was a large village with a myriad of buildings of various sizes. All of which were immaculate and pristine, made from polished wooden materials, lacquer, marble, and stone. Magical door lamps and streetlamps provided additional yellow colored light, while humanoid, demi-human, and even a few heteromorphic NPCs casually went about their own business.

On the surface, it should have seemed like a calm scene, and yet it filled one with a sense and a feeling foreboding. Like there were hidden dangers just out of sight. This was the 7th-floor's "Village of Dusk". It was named so due to not only the fake sky's hues of orange, white, and purple, a sight to behold that never changed, but it was also named as a subtle hint towards the nature of the floor. Namely, this was a floor that signified the end to one's life if they tried to violate the sanctity of the massive walls ahead.

It was filled to the brim with assassin-type NPCs, mixed in with harmless NPC vendors and extras. Even the magic casters were designed with an emphasis for stealth and attacking under cover whilst supporting the assassins. Although the idea was also to have a floor that wasn't outright hostile at first. Still, the more a Player explored, or was indiscriminately hostile, the more they were targeted from all dark corners.

Even if one did not pull AGGRO, the odds of getting randomly attacked still remained. What made the 7th-floor particularly dangerous for the careless and foolish, was that if one got to the floor guardian without first finding and killing all hostile NPCs, they would steadily pour into the arena to support their floor guardian. A Player could have easily found himself ganked to death by the number of POP and custom NPCs. Gabriel thought on this as he made his way towards the village in the distance.

' _Jon got to make this place, along with the floor guardian. With his somewhat black humor, he always thought that the way this place was set up was funny. I simply thought he was just being a vicious prick, but it certainly does fit the whole, "they'll never see it coming" motif he loved. Of course, if it wasn't for all the cash shop items, programming and modding skills Alisha had brought to bear, then it was highly unlikely that his "dream floor" would have worked. Heh. He was always disappointed that no invaders got far enough to "experience" it for themselves...'_

As Gabriel passed a thicket of bushes, a rustling sound caught his attention. When he turned his head, he saw the snow-white fur of a Spear Needle NPC staring up at him, which resembled an extremely LARGE angora rabbit.

"Huh. Well, hello little one..." Gabriel said casually.

Sniffing the air, its bright red eyes eagerly looked up at him as if it was happy to see him. He smiled at the display as he took a knee and petted its head and fur. It cooed and crooned at this action, obviously thrilled with the attention. Of course, doing this would have been risky for any not of the guild. A Spear Needle was a lvl-67 monster, and despite lacking in intelligence, it was still quite robust.

It can transform its loose fur into a thicket of thin, sharp needles in combat. If killed in that state, the "drop" that resulted is fur that does not revert to its original soft state. Since Players loved harvesting it, killing it with stealth was the name of the game. A challenge given its sharp senses, and as its fur when its been provoked.

After a few minutes, the creature seemed satisfied as it let out what sounded like a purr and hopped away. Gabriel stood back up and as resumed his original course, he noted the rivers running through portions of the floor. He recalled other monsters called "Kelpie" that resided there. As a lvl-70 monster, it was stronger than a Spear Needle, commanded some water-element magicks up to the 8th-tier, and thanks to an AOE trap/debuff spell enabled by the application of YGGDRASIL coins, was able to drag even lvl-100s into its waters.

A pleasant chuckle left his lips as he also found himself a bit disappointed that no one had ever gotten this far. Although, he was sure it would have happened if they experienced the massive 1,500 Player/Mercenary-NPC invasion that Nazarick repulsed a few years ago. The largest total invasion of Players and Mercenary-NPCs they had ever experienced never exceeded groups of three legions, with a legion being a group of 36 Players.

' _Huh... I guess we weren't hated enough for a massive invasion...'_

As Gabriel walked through the village proper, as usual he was assailed with the standard bows and exclamations of reverence, though they were thankfully more subdued than he had come to expect. He saw a lithe female, blue striped, feline-type beastman that somewhat reminded him of Ericah Sabine of the Drake Rider Country, as she went to a human NPC vendor to order a dress of all things. An amused smirk crossed Gabriel's lips at her mention of a, "hot date".

' _Haha... After the surprises on the 5th-floor, I don't even want to know...'_ **(A/N:Ch.17)**

He then saw a female elf-type NPC playing soft music that made a female Minotaur-type NPC's head gently sway from side-to-side, as if in a trance from the melody. Then there was a demon masseuse escorting a human NPC into her shop, and a human vendor whom grilled fish for a trio of red-headed sisters, whose slitted eyes and fang-like canines bespoke of their werewolf heritage. All in all, despite the odd mixed-race scene that any on the outside would have been perplexed to see, the village "seemed" a quiet, unassuming community.

Sometime later, after passing by some outlying buildings that where actually mimics, he exited the outskirts of the village, where Gabriel came upon a "fork in the road". If he took the left path, he would have been taken to a small wintry village of snow and ice, whereupon many ice-element wielding NPCs can be encountered. If he took the path on the right, he would have come across an "ambush site", where several ninja-type NPCs of various races would be waiting to decimate unsuspecting prey. That is, if they survived the traps of course.

Then there was the path straight ahead that led to the "boss arena" that led to the floor's guardian. As was standard, each floor arena for each of its guardians would passively buff the defender and its allies. Allies that could become rather plentiful if every square inch of the floor was not explored and cleared of enemies. If an invading party had the foresight to do so, then all they would have to worry about would be the floor guardian, and 12 vampire ninjas.

Coming upon the gate to the floor guardian's arena, Gabriel was greeted by a massive wall of stone and steel construction. In fact, the entire back-end of the floor was composed of this type of construction, which signified what lay beyond it. Namely the 8th-Floor, "Heart of the Keep". The gate itself was a dark blue and gray color, and had a mural depicting a dragon with wings folded over and around a castle, as if protecting it.

The symbolism was not lost on him, as it was this floor that served as the last defensive line before the Keep proper could be infiltrated. Tapping it slightly with his right hand, the gate split down the middle and inwardly opened. As Gabriel walked in, he was greeted by an extremely massive open arena, with many zigzagging rafters, poles, and tightropes above his head to give the ones stationed here a mobility advantage.

The area itself was circular with four pillars spread out in equal spaces and some torches, giving it a rather ominous atmosphere when the shadows danced with the flickering of flames all around the red and brown colored area. At the far end was a gated, spiral staircase that led to the Heart of the Keep, which made it differ from the other floors. Standing next to it was the Guardian of the 7th-Floor, Tabbis Ezekiel Kindler. **(A/N:Ch.8)**

Next to him on his right was a 4-foot (122cm) humanoid plant-monster, with thorn-ridden vines dotted about its body. Its "eyes" were obscured by "hair" of long green leaves, though glowing dark-green lights could easily be made out. This was the lvl-85 Death Vine, Area Guardian of the 7th-Floor, and member of the "Worst Three" NPCs, Fulquard Audrey III.

His build was created around the concept of an evil Druid that can bring terrible fortunes upon its enemies. While not as intelligent as the Top-4 Intelligent NPCs, it ranked just below them at fifth place. Meaning it was cunning, ruthless, and sadistic, yet treating such acts with a level of nonchalance that one would treat while sipping tea at the park. It was also prone to mischief, but of the deadly variety that could leave others dead, maimed, or wishing they were dead.

The one on the left was a 6-foot (183cm) man with an extremely pale Caucasian complexion that made one think he never saw the sun a day in his life, with dark brown hair and yellow eyes. His attire was predominantly black with gray accented garb with a long-coat that would have reminded one of the Victorian Era on Earth, but with a black leather Tricorn headdress from the 18th-century. He wore a black leather face mask with slits, and a choker with a purple-colored jewel in the center. This was the lvl-85 Dullahan, Ripp Van Wynkle.

Despite the name, he was designed around the "headless horseman" legends of old, and as such, his race of Dullahan reflected this. His classes also reflected this in a way, as he was made around the Rider/Fencer/Shooter/Gunner Job Classes. As a Rider, nearly any mount living or undead could be expertly handled, and from said mount he had the option of cutting down prey with his blade, or shooting them down from afar with either firearms, crossbow bolts, or arrows loosed from a bow.

It was this versatility that made him deadly, as well as him being a cold, calculating, and ruthless hunter. As an undead, he feels nothing for those not of the Keep. Even those designated "allies" wouldn't be safe from his hunter's drive. Something exacerbated by the traditional undead compulsion to hate the living, his negative Karma values, and his settings as a ruthless hunter. The only saving grace Gabriel saw was the fact that as far as intelligence went, he was on par with the Death Vine Area Guardian next to him.

The Floor Guardian Tabbis glared at them when he noticed Gabriel's analytical gaze and they immediately kneeled in reply. Gabriel himself was impressed by the discipline instilled by the guardian as he strode forth. Tabbis bowed to his liege-lord and stepped off to the side and took a bow once again and stayed in that position until Gabriel waved him off. He hesitated for only a moment before he stood up ramrod straight at attention.

Despite their exceptional stealth skills that would normally fool even average lvl-100s, Gabriel could clearly sense Tabbis' 12 lvl-80 custom NPC Vampire Ninjas up above. A benefit of his newly honed [Soul Sense] passive, though he could tell that they weren't trying to hide. More than likely they were standing by if they were needed. He ignored their presence altogether as he spoke up in a commanding tone.

"Raise your heads you two."

The two NPCs did as instructed without hesitation, and looked upon their master's stoic facial expression, confident all was well. Although if the shining crimson glare their guardian was giving them was any indication, they could only hope it remained that way.

"As I am touring the Keep, I'm here to check in on everything. Including the two of you. I trust you are quite aware of the 'rules of engagement', in regards to 'friendlies' and 'allies'." Gabriel plainly said whilst staring down at them.

"Ah, but of course, my lord. It should go without saying. Though we have been starved for fresh prey to 'play' and be 'fed' with.~" Fulquard Audrey III casually says.

"Grmmph... I for one want to go on a hunt. Nothing's ever managed to reach this far, and my skills remain untested. My hunter's pride demands blood as tribute." Ripp Van Wynkle grouses in a tone of discontent.

Narrowing his vision on them, Gabriel lifts his right hand as he cracks each of his knuckles with his thumb, the sound echoing ominously, silencing the two NPCs immediately. Both could feel the hostility radiating off their master in waves, making them shiver in place as Gabriel spoke in a menacing tone.

"Let me be clear you pair of fools. I did not ask for your inept opinions, nor did I ask for your proclivities... Fulquard!"

"Y-Yes, my lord!"

"You've done well in assisting in the cultivation of crops for the Keep's use. Continue to do so, and remember, the warning I had Walter and Tamura pass on to you still stands..." **(A/N:Ch.9)**

The Death Vine NPC shuddered at the thought. Despite his own aloof approach to death and suffering, and his own mischievous approach to it, the absolute LAST thing he wanted was to be the object of his master's ire.

"... And as for you Ripp Van Wynkle, I can understand your desire to test yourself in a real hunt. I've been there myself. However! Until that call to action comes, if I hear that you or Fulquard so much as glare at new arrivals or our allies, I _will_ come down here to dispense the appropriate punishment myself. Do I make myself clear?"

'"Yes, my lord!"'

As the pair of NPCs answered in unison, they were awash with a curious mixture of emotions. Of course, the most prevalent was fear, but at the same time it was a most _sublime_ type of fear that they could experience. They both were of like mind as they treasured this experience. To know they served such a fearsome liege-lord, and not some delicate wallflower that would go on to preach to them without being able to back it up.

This led to the other emotions that were now swimming around in their consciousness; respect and admiration. They respected their master's position and rank over them of course, but now more than ever did they come to respect the man himself, and grew to be even more awed by the presence he exuded, despite not using even a one-tenth of the power he commanded. They knew there and then where their loyalties lie...

' _Ah~hah! No one else could ever command me! Lord Gabriel, yours is truly a guiding light that feeds me with delight~!'_ Fulquard thought with excitement.

' _As expected of our lord who knows of the hunt. His peers are few. I long for the day that we may revel in the blood of our enemies...'_ Ripp Van Wynkle silently affirms to himself.

Gabriel glared at them for a full minute as he considered their replies and presence. Thanks to his senses and passives, lying to him was now exceedingly difficult. Although not impossible, he knew that it was beyond the ability of these two. If anything, like most of the other NPCs, he found them almost _too_ honest with their feelings. A saving grace in this regard.

"Huhmm... Very well. I'll accept your word for now, and I _will_ hold you to it..." Gabriel firmly said as he glanced back at Tabbis behind him.

The "silent" Vampire Ninja did not need to be told anything as he picked up on his master's intent and simply nodded in silent understanding. He would continue to watch them closely.

"Now then, I must be off. Continue to guard this floor from declared enemies, and thank you for your service."

'"Lord!"'

As the two NPCs answered in unison to their master's authoritative tone, they kept a bowing position as they parted to clear the way for their master to leave for the next floor. Gabriel did not look at them at all as he strode forth with an even, almost imposing stride in his steps. The gate to the spiral stairs opened automatically for him, as if the Keep itself was beckoning for its master to return.

The walls beyond the gate were of a fine, smoothed out blue crystalline and metallic materials that reflected soft blue light. Gabriel stepped into the threshold of the gate, and then with a deafening *SLAM!* it shut behind him. As his echoing footsteps faded, the posture of the NPCs in the chamber relaxed slightly as Ripp Van Wynkle and Fulquard Audrey III enthusiastically spoke amongst themselves.

"Simply splendid. Out master's puissance cannot be denied."

"Oh, yessss... His presence alone fed me with excitement to last all night long. I doubt even those so-called 'Supreme Beings' of Nazarick could even compare."

"Hm... Don't be so sure of that, Fulquard. Our creator Lord Caeser Maestro Yung once spoke about a hunt he and Lord Gabriel were forced to intervene in..."

At that admission, the attentions of the nearby floor guardian and his brethren up above were piqued. Tabbis' looked intently at the Dullahan while the positions of the vampire ninjas above shifted, making it seem as if the shadows themselves were alive as he continued.

"... As I recall, Lord Caeser once spoke of when the masters of Nazarick hunted down a group from another clan of 'Players' that were supposedly besmirching the name of 'Ainz Ooal Gown'. Just one of their number, a demon named 'Ulbert' as I recall, used a single 10th-tier to nearly decimate a party under the protection of some kind of defensive Super-Tier spell."

"Hah! You're feeding us a load of lies, brood-brother! A mere 10th-tier spell overpowering a Super-Tier spell? What nonsense..." Fulquard derisively countered.

Immediately there was tension between the two NPCs as unfiltered killing intent filled the air, and Ripp Van Wynkle spoke in a menacing tone.

"Brood-brother or not, insult me again Fulquard, and our master won't need to be the one to turn you into kindling."

"Hoh-hoh-hoh~! And just who do you think you are talking to? We may be fellow creations of Lord Caeser, but..."

Fulquard stopped as he raised a multi-pronged appendage made up of thorny vines up that looked like a hand. With this placating gesture, they both took notice of the growing hostility from their floor guardian. Without realizing they nearly went against their master's standing orders. Even for them it was affront, but they realized that without their earlier master's words, they would have acted without thinking. Knowing this, he spoke again in a much calmer tone.

"Bah! Scratch that. I take back my words. Tell us then, how did this 'Ulbert' accomplish such a feat?"

"Hmph! As I was saying, our creator spoke of how a Super-Tier shielding spell was broken by a 10th-tier spell. It was called, '[Grand Catastrophe]'. It was one of the few times I recall our creator ever having conniptions. He said that spell, and Ulbert's class of [World Disaster] was in desperate need of a 'nerf', despite its drawbacks."

"Aaaaaah~! I see now... Hahaha. I really do owe you an apology, brood-brother. I don't know of this spell, but the lore of [World Disaster] is known to me... And? What happened?" Fulquard added, then asked in curiosity.

"Our creator said that he, Lord Gabriel, Lady Alisha, and ten other High Lords jumped between the two groups. The party they had hunted down was apparently innocent of their accusations and were able to provide proof of this. It seems the whole incident was carefully arranged by their rivals, and secretly worked with Lord Bellriver to uncover this plot. Lord Gabriel and Lady Alisha negotiated reparations and apologies from Ainz Ooal Gown, but his words of 'not wanting to get into a fight with them', despite our lord's presence is most... curious." Ripp Van Wynkle finished in a contemplative tone.

"Yes, it is... Hmm... It seems a visit to the library later is in order..." Fulquard mused aloud.

"Hm. Agreed." Ripp Van Wynkle flatly replied.

"Hoh?~ Really, brood-brother? I only wish to feed my hunger for knowledge, given I was very wrong. What of you?"

"Hmph... I believe that today's allies can be tomorrow's enemies. Yes, Ainz Ooal Gown may be declared 'friends' by our lord, yet they stood by and cowardly hid themselves away within the wastes of Helheim and Nazarick's walls, instead of joining the hunt when the Lords of the Seven Deadly Sins rampaged. The Keep itself was threatened and they did nothing. That is something I cannot forgive, even if Lord Gabriel does. Surely, if they be true 'friends' and 'allies', then would they not come to our masters' aid? As weak as they are, even those new arrivals pledging themselves to Lord Gabriel's cause are far more worthy than the cowards of Ainz Ooal Gown." The undead NPC states with a low, venomous tone.

"..."

A deathly silence permeated the chamber as Ripp Van Wynkle finished saying his peace. All of the NPCs present became introspective, as they found themselves agreeing with him. Most of them recalled the Lords of the Seven Deadly Sins crisis from the words of the High Lords, and the events chronicled in the Grand Library of Pergamum on the 8th-floor. The fact that Lord Gabriel and Lady Alisha held them up as blameless was confounding to be sure.

The reasons why Ainz Ooal Gown did not come to their aid were vague at best. Meanwhile, so many others answered their call to arms. Even clans and guilds that had little to no association with the guild of The Dragon's Inquisition, or were even openly hostile towards them, answered their call, as was written in the sagas that still enthralled those of the Keep.

The only answer to Nazarick's inaction was in the form of cryptic statements like, "they were busy", or "they could not move without a consensus". At the very least, they knew that Lords Bellriver and Touch-Me, and Ladies Ankoro Mocchi Mochi, Bukubukuchagama, and Yamaiko wanted to help, but were bound by the rulings of their own guild. As such, those five were still held in high regard within the Keep. Just then, a female voice above them stoically chimed in.

"Does anyone know if Lord Gabriel is aware that Lord Bellriver has passed on?"

"..."

Another deathly silence settled in as the question was asked, with only the flicker of the nearby flame torches being their answer...

* * *

 **8th-Floor, The Heart of Dracon's Keep**

During the NPCs' discussion, the spiral stairs that were normally illuminated by the soft blue light of crystals along the walls were filled with a bright emerald glow. Suddenly, Gabriel flew by while bathed in an aura of Emerald Flames, using his [Emerald Levitation] ability to quickly fly up to his destination. Like the other floors, connecting passages between had an extensive number of traps. Though like the others, they were currently disabled.

The reason he was flying up the spiral staircase was relatively simple; it was 10-stories high. Not particularly conducive for quick travel. Again, it was designed to delay invaders. If they _also_ had the bright idea of flying up like he was, there were traps to discourage such actions. Though the costs to the Treasury would be gargantuan to the point of ludicrous, due to the fact that this was the final line. If enemies had penetrated this deep into the Keep, it was all-or-nothing.

After a few minutes, Gabriel reached a grand hall that was akin to a receiving area, and three massive pillars on both his left and right sides towered over him, holding up a ceiling 5-meters above. The material of the hall was made of shining blue steel, with gold and platinum trim, and crystal as he walked forward and was greeted by a pair of lvl-80 human Guardian Knights armed with large shields in their left hands, and halberds in their right.

The magical arms and armor was of superlative quality, glistening with a light sky-azure colored enamel that would have made any standing army in the outside world struck dumb with awe and envy. Their open-faced helms were styled after a finned dragon's head, sporting a silver-colored mane out the back. It was not solely an aesthetic decoration, but a magical material that granted increased cold resistance.

As they saw their liege-lord approach, their postures became ramrod straight as they lifted their weapons up in salute and declared with passion and vigor...

"ALL HAIL LORD GABRIEL ERIN DRACON! MASTER OF DRACON'S KEEP!"

"Thank you for the welcome. Now, at ease, Knights." Gabriel calmly states with a commanding air to him.

The NPCs do as instructed and give a final head-bow before relax their postures, with one on the left speaking in a dutiful and respectful tone that belied a willful steel of a confident Knight.

"My lord, Vice-Commander Tamura informed us to be expecting your return from inspections of your glorious Keep. I hope all was well."

"Hm. For the most part, yes. Nothing to worry over for the moment. And the two of you? I trust that all of your needs are being met."

"Hoh! You honor us with your concerns, my lord. We are truly blessed to have such a compassionate liege. Worry not, sire. Our guard rotations provide us adequate time to rest and take meals." The Knight answers with a humble head-bow.

Of course, Gabriel already knew this through the reports he received from Walter and Tamura. The purpose behind the question was not confirmation, but to show the NPCs that their master truly did care for their well-being...

' _One can be told that their superiors care for them a thousand times, but "seeing is believing", as they say. Having heard it straight from the horse's mouth, they'll likely gossip with their peers about this encounter with me, and let the rest know. Two birds, one stone...'_ Gabriel idly muses to himself as he speaks with a relaxed tone.

"I'm glad to hear it. Remember to address any of your concerns to Walter or Tamura. After all, I want all of my people to be well taken care of, no matter the time or situation. Now then, I must be off." Gabriel states with a relaxed tone.

"Lord! Then allow us to open the gate for you..."

With that statement, the Knights turn on their heels with crisp movements as both gently tap the gate in unison with their weapons. The gate itself, which was initially plain, suddenly had the crest of the guild rise to the surface. The mural of a dragon taking flight. Like most of the others, it split down the middle and opened inward, seemingly beckoning Gabriel to go ahead and step through. As he did, he smiled warmly as he spoke.

"Keep up the good work, and thank you for your service."

'"Lord!"'

As the NPCs replied in unison, the gate slowly closed behind Gabriel with nary a sound made in the process. As he stood in the halls, a magnificent emerald-green carpet with gold trim greeted him as he looked upon the shining halls of the Keep. The ceiling was easily 10-meters high with grand support pillars stretching up to meet it. Illumination was provided via fixtures in the walls and ceiling itself through magic, and would change depending on the time of day. Since it was in the late afternoon, the light provided was still warm and bright.

The halls themselves were patrolled by human and elven knights, much like the ones that were guarding the entrance to the floor. They stood at attention and silently performed head-bows as Gabriel walked through the halls. Their reactions were more subdued due to instructions from Gabriel himself, passed along by Walter and Tamura.

As the master of the Keep, he had expected to be on this floor the most, and thus wanted to relax things, even a little bit. Though he understood that he was their leader and liege-lord, his patience for having to constantly tell them to be ease from their earnest salutes and praises wore thin on occasions. Thankfully though, their resistance to his instructions was minimal as he continued walking the halls.

As he did, he took note of the knights and magic casters on patrol. Their equipment was much like the entrance guards, which was actually more powerful those used on the other floors. In fact, the NPCs on the final floor of the Keep were among the strongest of all the floors. Even the lowest of POPs were around lvl-50 overall, with gear and equipment to match.

Of course, this likewise carried additional costs, because despite being POPs, should they perish and not be revived within a fixed amount of time with resurrection magic, their later automatic revival would charge the Treasury the appropriate amount for it. This could make a successful invasion all the more costly as Gabriel mused to himself.

' _Our guildmates were always worried about an invasion of the 8th-floor. Not just because of the possibility of losing the base, but the absurd costs of defending it between the defenses, traps, and NPC revival costs. Huh... I almost lost it when Alisha showed me the estimated costs. Makes me glad it never happened...'_

As Gabriel traversed the shining halls of the 8th-floor, he recalled that his personally created NPCs, Charon and his "Sisters" in the Treasury, could be moved to reinforce defenses on the final floor if necessary. Charon himself was actually utilized every time there was an invasion, due to his abilities that allowed him to warp in and out of any location within the Keep. A fact that brought a sly grin to his face as he thought back on it...

' _With Charon's special skill, he quickly entered and exited areas in the Keep to conduct hit and run attacks with his portals. Some Players complained to no end about a mysterious "specter" harassing them every step of the way. They always thought it was a guild-member, never realizing it was an NPC. Thanks to his ability, the entire Keep was his domain, and blocking him with magic was almost impossible. Hehe... He sure spooked the shit out of quite a few parties, popping in and out unexpectedly, and from what I understand, he likes to spook people...'_

A soft chuckle left his lips as he passed by NPC guard-stations, barracks, and varied types of defensive emplacements. The Heart of the Keep was twice the size of a typical floor, and was designed around a type of castle/fortress where one needed to go up to proceed. There were a few spiral stairs that acted as booby-trapped bottlenecks against invaders, while the defenders had free and restricted access to teleportation points that, much like the other floors, were carefully concealed.

So it was that Gabriel approached one of these concealed teleport points within a seemingly random support pillar, and with a flick of his wrist revealed a glowing hidden panel. He rested his palm on the panel, and almost instantly he was transported from the "1st-level" of the 8th-floor to the 2nd-level. Here was where of some the more "frivolous" designs of the Keep were created by Alisha and Felix.

As the artists of the Keep, they worked closely to create a great deal of decorative features and elements that weren't directly conducive to the defense of the 8th-floor. Gabriel had to admit that if he had his way, many of the luxuries and facilities that became real here would not exist. Something he became grateful for as he toured the halls of the 8th-floor's 2nd-level.

After a few minutes, he reached a "fork in the road", where he could go straight, left, or right. If he went to the left a sort of recreational area could be accessed. In the game it was little more than decoration to awe/impress guild-members, and even invaders if they ever bothered to stop and appreciate the sights.

In that section were a number of facilities that looked like a blending of some high-fantasy and "modern" sensibilities that provided access to bars, cafeterias, beauty/manicure salons, massage parlors, health/fitness salons, clothing/grocery/luxury stores, a karaoke bar, theaters, and a few other facilities that Gabriel never cared to know about during the game. Although he did recall one occasion where Felix petitioned for some additional funding so he could add a "red-light district" into the mix.

While Alisha did not seem to mind, and was even amused by the idea, that was the one-time Gabriel had firmly put his foot down and denied the request. A fatigued sigh escaped as he thought back on the event in question...

' _I'm not one to shy away from dirty humor and other such shenanigans. Hell, I could traipse around naked and not even blink. Still, if I had let Felix have his way, who knows what crazy shit he would have come up with. In a lot of ways, he was as bad, if not worse than Peroroncino. His particular type of "artistic expression" was the kind that could make even that loli-con blush. It was highly likely he'd have gotten us banned by the shitty-devs...'_

Gabriel shook his head and chuckled at the thought, drawing a few curious stares from passing NPCs that bowed and paid their respects that were existing the section on the right. Dubbed the "Emerald Spas" by Alisha, it sported over a dozen types of bathes, jacuzzis, and pools for use by nearly any type of race, complete with a half-dozen lounges and changing rooms.

The only thing that struck Gabriel as odd was the fact that almost nothing was separated by gender. While there were some private baths and rooms, nearly everything was co-ed. Again, a little "gift" from his wayward guildmate, Felix. Alisha once again voiced no objections, and was even amused by it, while Gabriel at the time didn't care. Now though, a pang of regret hit him as he sighed, passing by the spa's entrance.

' _I don't even want to know...'_

Passing through an extremely large crystalline archway, Gabriel was greeted by a massive open area, and on his left was the Sanctuary of Ianuaria, which had full staffed magical infirmaries, and served as the main center for healing and medical care. It sported a large main entrance with shining blue sliding-doors that passively healed those near it with a 1st-tier effect, and had a half-dozen auxiliary entrances and exits for emergencies.

A soft smile spread over his lips as Gabriel thought back on his IRL friend and guildmate, Joseph Peter Andersen...

' _This place was his pride and joy, and despite him being terrible at art like I was, he worked very closely with Alisha to get this place made. Even went so far as to supply extra funding to have defenses in place to protect it, despite it was little more than decoration in the game. Hehe... Alisha's role-playing was downright infectious at times... As I recall, it the summoned barricades that can materialize are nigh-impervious from the outside, but due to YGGDRASIL rules, it can be easily broken from the inside by even a lvl-30 armed with adamantite weapons...'_

As Gabriel passed by the front entrance, he was silently thankful for the role-playing that his late wife had encouraged upon him and most of their number. If not for that, then his suicide attempt might have been a success, and he would have violated his promise to her to move on with his life. **(A/N:Ch.2)**

He shuddered as he cast those thoughts away and moved on to the final-level of the 8th-floor with his guild-ring. The shining halls seemed to become larger and grander here as Gabriel walked its halls, passing by the homunculus maids and butlers which did not hesitate to genuflect before him, before the waved them off and dismissed them with an appreciated tone and smile.

It was on this floor that the personal rooms for the guild-membership, NPCs, guest-rooms, VIP rooms, guild meeting chamber, and private dining hall and bar for the Keep's High Lords and allies, in addition to the Four Training Chambers, which served as an additional line of defense against invasion. **(A/N:Ch.6)**

In addition, there were access points to many verandas leading to a view outside the Keep. In the game they were inaccessible decoration, but became real like everything else had. Though Gabriel later learned that they possessed a magical barrier that can be erected in the events of an outside attack, as well as an internal barricade. Then there was Gabriel's own private study, and the throne room at the highest level, which served as the place where the guild would make their final stand, which never came to pass.

Another important feature to the floor was the Grand Library of Pergamum, where all records, both in-game and IRL are stored, as well as Mercenary Summon tomes and scrolls, fiction from Earth that was in the public domain, stories made by the guildmembers, and some other misc. works. Including training guides on various topics from spy-craft to home cooking.

It was also where new spell scrolls are created, with the library operated by a lvl-90 elf area guardian named Belnor Valentius, as its Head Librarian. From what Gabriel could recall, he was a good-natured type of individual, and is very friendly and approachable. Unless it ran counter to his instructions, he was the type that would drop everything to help you with something if needed.

' _If I remember correctly, he was Julia's creation, with Alisha providing her artistic prowess to his creation... Heh... I wonder how Jon and Julia are doing right now...'_ **(A/N:Ch.10)**

Gabriel sighed at the thought. He had known Jon since he was taken in as a child by Jon's older sister Regina, who went on to become his adoptive godmother. Julia he's known for almost ten years, after Alisha introduced her to him and Jon. They became good friends almost instantly, while she and Jon developed a very _different_ type of chemistry just as quickly. Something that made him chuckle in amusement, bringing him out of his brief melancholy.

Turning a corner, he caught sight of a male dark dwarf and an elf casually talking as they spoke amongst themselves in a cordial manner. The dark dwarf wore golden armor over turquoise colored garments, and a brown leather half-apron that held a number of smithing instruments and tools. As was common for the race he sported a tanned skin complexion, and possessed a muscular build, wearing his shoulder length black hair in a ponytail. His amber eyes bespoke of one with a willful stubbornness, but also with a relaxed and laidback personality.

This was the Head Smithy of Dracon's Keep, Sindri Kornillius Brokk. He was a lvl-90 Dark Dwarf Smith responsible for all high-leveled forging of weapons, gear, and items. Due to the racial bonuses granted to him for crafting and smithing, his Job Classes had almost all been devoted entirely to crafting classes. Though underestimating him because of that was foolhardy, since he still possessed [Relic Class] and [Legendary Class] gear and items to make him a viable threat if he was provoked.

The elf was the Keep's Chief Alchemist named Restoro Artefius. The lvl-90 NPC was responsible for the creation of potions and concoctions of many kinds within the Keep. It was he whom was responsible for the potion used to temper Gabriel's cognitive ability to aid in his recovery after the Transfer. **(A/N:Ch.3 &5)**

He possessed a refined bearing with eyes of aqua-blue, and allowed his long and immaculate lavender hair to freely trail down to the middle of his back. He wore robes of superlative quality that was dark-blue edged in platinum, with gold accents. He wore magical rings on four fingers, as well as a fine golden amulet with a single diamond-like jewel, with matching set of earrings.

Like his dwarven compatriot, his Job Classes were devoted almost entirely to his role. Although, he was still potent enough as a magic caster, capable of the 9th-tier of magic, and equipped with a vast array of [Relic Class] and [Legendary Class] items. They both saw their master and gave deep bows as they spoke in unison.

'"Hail and good day Lord Gabriel!"'

"Same to you as well. Raise your head and be at ease."

They complied with their master's orders with Sindri being the first to speak up in a jovial tone.

"Aye, milord! 'Tis an 'onor to greet ye' this day. I wuz justta 'bout to get a bite to eat when I ran inta' this fruit-colored haired elfie. Hehehe."

The elven alchemist Restoro was unamused by his compatriot's jab as he rolled his eyes and spoke in an admonishing tone.

"Sindri, I am amazed that you would disregard our master's presence when displaying your droll monikers for others."

"Aw, relax eggplant. I don't mean nothin' by it, and I'm sure milord knows that. 'Tis all in good fun, and you could use some fun in yer' life." The Dark Dwarf said lightheartedly.

"Humph. I find my 'fun' as you put it, in my work and in being of service to the glory of Dracon's Keep." Restoro dryly retorts.

Gabriel chuckles as he watches the back and forth between the duo, who then look upon him in puzzlement at his reaction. He then shakes his head and speaks in amusement.

"Despite his... unorthodox methods, Sindri does have a point, Restoro. We all need to find moments of levity when we can."

"My lord, I... yes. I... shall try." Restoro says with a bow, while Sindri grins.

"Hah! See? Told ya'."

"Don't be so cocky, Sindri. By that same token, you really need to work on your tact." Gabriel corrected him with a fatigued smirk.

"Oh... A-Aye, milord." He replied in dejection.

The elf Restoro simply smiled in satisfaction as he gave his liege-lord Gabriel an appreciative bow of the head.

"Well, where are you off to, Restoro?" Gabriel asked in curiosity.

"Ah, yes. I was about take my leave of the 8th-floor to relieve Madam Éloïse-Fouquet Bourcier on the 3rd-floor, in the creation of those rather revolutionary [Mana Potions] that had been discovered and developed." **(A/N:Ch.16)**

"Oh, I see... Then it's safe to assume that your absence will not impact the production of the new blue healing potions?"

"Certainly not, my lord! You have my personal assurances, that my staff will be able to handle things while I am gone." Restoro resolutely stated with a bow.

"Ah, that's good to hear. Just make sure that when you're there to help in its production, that you do NOT modify them in any shape, form, or fashion. Last thing I need to hear is that someone drank it, only to spontaneously explode, or to come under the compulsion to shout 'love' with their attack names, or croak like a frog at the end of each sentence, or to have their genders reversed for a full day." Gabriel said in a deadpan.

"...!"

Restoro stood stunned by his master's proclamation, and took on an embarrassed countenance as his cheeks reddened. Although his written lore had him as more or less a "straight shooter", he also LOVED to experiment, and create strange potions with varying affects that range from the gimmicky, odd, or just plain absurd. In fact, the list of strange effects that Gabriel listed was straight from his written lore. Just then, the dwarf NPC boisterously laughed at his liege-lord's comment.

"Hah-hah-hah-hah! 'Tis seems his lordship has yer' number, cabbage-head! Hah!"

"I-I-I-I-I-I assure you, my lord! I would never...!"

The elf NPC's frantic reply was halted when Gabriel stepped forward and off to Restoro's side so that his left hand was placed on the NPC's right shoulder. He had a thin, patient smile as he calmly spoke in a comforting tone.

"Relax, Restoro. I was only joking. I know that you wouldn't do anything _unauthorized_ to our potions. This just helps to reinforce what I said earlier about finding some moments of levity. Doesn't it?"

"I... Ahem!... I suppose it does indeed, my lord." Restoro said in defeat and acceptance.

"Heh... Well, I'll leave the two of you to it..." Gabriel began with a soft smile as he started to walk away from them.

"Ah! Milord, fergiv' me for askin' this outta the blue, but before ya' leave, might I hav'a chance ta' see ye' mighty sword, [Krysseatheum]?" Sindri excitedly asked.

"Hm?" Gabriel turned back to regard the dwarf for a moment.

' _Huh. Odd request, but he IS a dwarf, and I do know that his background was written to where he has a fascination and appreciation for fine arms and armor... Oh, why not?'_

As Gabriel came about, he reached into the pocket dimension of his [Inventory], and pulled out the [Divine Class] weapon in question. Reversing his grip on it in a single smooth motion, he presented it to the dwarven NPC, who reverently took it with a head-bow before he went to examine it. There was an odd, momentary hum and vibration from it as the dwarf held it, before then fading. Even the elven alchemist was enthralled by the sight as he observed it.

"Oooooh! So dis' is the legendary [Krysseatheum]! One o' the Top-20 [Divine Class] weapons in all o' YGGDRASIL, and the weapon that dealt tha' deathblow to tha' dragon that once ruled 'ere..."

While Gabriel wasn't at all surprised by the NPC's knowledge of the Keep's history before the Dragon's Inquisition guild had conquered it, he was a bit taken aback by the reactions that both NPCs were giving his weapon. To them, his main weapon was akin to a holy relic of sorts. The dwarf NPC was quite dexterous in his handling of the weapon as he closely inspected it with a keen, analytical eye.

From blade tip to dragon-fang pommel, it was 60 inches (152.4cm) in length, and at a glance the weapon was a work of art by any definition. To a casual observer from Earth, the sword could have been considered Far-Eastern in origins, but also forged with a type of Western sensibility. Its blade was of a silver coloration, with the blade-tip quite pointed and narrow, making for an effective thrusting instrument.

The blade's shape was slightly curved like a katana, but more slender and distinctive than a messer or falchion. Its guard was an emerald-green colored dragon's head, and consisted of metal scales; a representation of the head and neck frills of a dragon on the shoulder side of the blade. The blade extended out vertically from the mouth of the dragon's head, with the eyes oddly closed for the time being. The hilt consisted of the handle, braided in the distinctive diamond pattern of an Eastern katana with a shining metallic fiber that glistened with magical enchantment.

Despite its size, it was unnaturally light and perfectly balanced. Gabriel was quite happy when he and his friends found the [Divine Class] Relic in a dungeon in Asgard. Its overwhelming DPS output with its cutting, slicing, and stabbing damage could plow through lesser class equipment like a portable wrecking-ball, and easily complimented his early DPS build. Thanks to his later winning of the [Armor of the Emerald Dragon] from conquering the Keep, his build became more akin to a DPS/Tank hybrid.

"Whew! This weapon is magnificent milord! Even if ma' creator once said it looks like the love-child of a katana an'a grosse messer. Ma' greatest of thanks for lettin' me take a look at it, milord." Sindri said with gratitude.

That comment made him chuckle, as one or two in the guild had made similar comments in the past. After observing the NPCs, and seeing how some of them inherited characteristics from their creators, it came as no surprise.

"You're quite welcome Sindri. Now then, I must be off. Thank you for your service, and take care of yourselves."

'"Lord!"' The NPCs said in unison.

Gabriel then used his guild-ring, disappearing in a flash of blue light to expedite his departure, leaving the two NPCs to converse amongst themselves.

"So then... Was Lord Gabriel's legendary weapon everything that I have heard?" Restoro asked in curiosity.

"Aw, yeah, elderberry. It was an' more. But at tha' same time, there was somethin' strangely different 'bout it..." Sindri contemplatively replied.

Restoro's brow twitched from yet another moniker designed to poke fun at his hair color. He was gifted this unique coloration by the High Lords damn it! As cross as he was with the dwarf though, he did not fail to catch the subtle hints of puzzlement from him as he pushed that to the side and inquisitively spoke.

"Hmph... Then pray tell, what is your boggle?"

"Aye... First thing, ya' noticed 'ow that sword 'ummed wen Lord Gabriel 'anded it to me? It felt like the sword was... How ta' describe it...? Like it wuzzn't meant ta' be in someone else's hands... Like tha' weapon itself wuz judging me or somethin'..."

"Hrmmm..."

Both the NPCs became introspective as they tried in vain to divine the meaning of that strange occurrence. While they knew that certain types of weapons and equipment could have certain class, racial, and/or even individual restrictions, what the dwarf described was different. The elf NPC shook his head with a huff, before speaking again.

"Be that as it may, I take it that there was something else?"

"Well... I've 'eld all manner of weapons and items and such, yet none ever felt like it might explode in ma' hands..." Sindri said in a grim tone.

Restoro shuttered at the thought of such a thing, despite the lack of details. While the dwarf can be an insufferable arse, he respected him as a fellow craftsman, and knew that if _he_ took on _that_ kind of expression, then it must be serious. In the end though, all they could do was shake their heads and keeping moving. After all, answers would not suddenly come to either of them by simply standing around thinking about it...

* * *

 **Dracon's Keep, 8th-Floor, Gabriel's Study**

Two lvl-90 Elf Knight Guardians, each with massive glistening tower shield, opened the doors for their Lord Gabriel, whom stepped into his study with command presence. Smoothly turning on his heel, he thanked the NPC guards of his study and dismissed them, to which they bowed and replied with a firm and audible, "Lord!", as he then turned into his study. **(A/N:Ch.6)**

Walking over to his desk, he sensed a presence hiding behind the flat rectangular crystal piece that served as a sort of magical monitor. It wasn't malicious. In fact, it was actually quite a timid and shy presence of a female fairy. He searched his memory, until a likely candidate popped up into consciousness...

"Iris? Is that you?"

"...!"

Gabriel spoke in a relaxed, nonthreatening manner as he adopted a similar posture. After a few moments, the form of a 5½-inch (14cm) fairy-girl with pointed ears like an elf, shining crystal-blue eyes, and long blonde hair going down to her calves emerged. She wore a pure white dress that left her neck and shoulders exposed, arm-sleeves, and had similarly colored wings folded behind her back. Her expression was shy and timid as she spoke.

"H-Hello, Lord Gabriel."

The little Fairy NPC fidgeted as she spoke, and Gabriel could only smile and shake his head at the display, finding it oddly cute and endearing. Iris was created as a support-type NPC that resided in the library, and in the game she was made with several command prompts to help one around the library should they need something. She knew where to find every book, tome, and/or scroll that the massive library contained.

Unlike most of the NPCs in the Keep, she was made as a joint-project between Alisha, and one friend outside of the Keep/guild, Artorias of Avalon. As a result, her ultimate loyalties resided with Artorias and Alisha, in that order. Though she'd honor Gabriel as the other half of one of her creators. At least, that is the impression he himself had from what little he remembered of her background, since this is the first he'd seen her since her initial creation.

Though she wasn't suited for combat, she possessed a number of buffing and support spells up to the 6th-tier, and also held crafting and logistical classes to better suit her role in the library. When she flew about, she emitted warm vanilla light and glowing "Fairy Dust", which had the passive effects of a 1st-tier healing spell. By nature, she was shy and timid at first, but once she warmed up to someone, she was quite friendly. Especially if they are a good person.

"Hehe... What are you doing here, little one?" Gabriel asked, still with a warm and friendly expression on his face as he moved around behind his desk and sat down.

"Um, w-well, t-the Head Librarian had a new report to deliver, b-but since he didn't want to disturb your 'tour' of your Keep, he settled for leaving it on your desk. I-I wanted to see you, so I stayed. I thought I could be useful and input the report into your workstation, b-but it's password locked..."

"Oh, don't concern yourself over it. I'll take care of it. Now then, what did you want to see me about?"

"Um, I... well... that is..."

"It's okay. Take your time."

Iris was silently awed by the patience and benevolence of the master of the Keep. Until this moment, she felt nervous talking to him. This was compounded by the punishment he handed down to the dragon traitor of the Drake Rider Country, Ohrly'ress Ailouros. **(A/N:Ch.8)** The horrible acts he perpetuated was worthy of his punishment, but she, the Head Doctor, and a few others did not totally approve of it, and thus gave her a few negative impressions of him.

Though now, she felt foolish for thinking and feeling that way. He was the beloved of one of her creators after all, so surely he was a good man. Just one that perhaps had to make a difficult decision. Realizing this, most of her anxiety melted away as she relaxed and spoke calmly.

"Uh, um, well I was wondering, if it was possible, for you to know what had become of Lady Artorias, before what many are now calling the, 'New World Transfer'? I... had had seen her in a long time..."

Iris' voice faded as her head hung low, obviously saddened by the fact that she hadn't seen her lady whom she owed her ultimate allegiance. Gabriel could understand her feelings. Before the transfer, it had been months since Artorias and Draconis had visited the Keep. At least, from his perspective...

' _Poor thing. I still have no idea how the NPCs perceived time spent in YGGDRASIL. Since the shitty-devs never implemented a definite calendar into the game's lore. So, does that mean they operated under the game's day/night cycles, or the in-game clock that Players used? Something to consider later. Right now though, that depressing look really doesn't fit on such a cute face...'_

As Gabriel's idle thoughts came to an end, he extended his left hand and gently patted Iris on her head, which startled her at first. Her surprised "Eek~!", was like a mouse squeak, and it was so cute that he could not help but chuckle at her reaction. Then her cheeks blushed as she seemed to warm up to his gentle petting as he spoke in a kind tone.

"You can rest easy, Iris. Artorais and her husband Draconis were doing well, the last time that I saw them. In fact, it was a week before the transfer when I last got in touch with them."

"R-Really? Ooooh~! Thank you, Lord Gabriel. Thank you very much~!" She joyfully exclaimed, hugging his hand lovingly as if it were a person.

"Hehehe... You are quite welcome, little one."

"Teehee~! You're hand is so warm, Lord Gabriel."

A feeling of peace washed over Gabriel as he smiled at the cute and adorable antics of the little fairy-girl NPC. He didn't have the heart to pull his hand away, and let her do as she pleased. Then her eyes suddenly shot wide open, and earnestly looked upon him.

"L-Lord Gabriel! You're in pain!"

At her earnest and worried statement, Gabriel's smile faded into a contemplative expression as he softly spoke.

"You... can sense that?"

"Y-Yes, I can. It's so... Should you not leave to see the Head Doctor?" Iris replied in worry and empathy.

"Ah, be at ease, Iris. Althia Tanos is well aware of my condition. As it stands, this is actually normal for me. After I had 'awakened' my powers over the Emerald Flame in this world, I've been living in a constant state of pain throughout my body. The Head Doctor has already looked me over, and determined that it's the result of Alisha's [Blood Magic], now coursing through my veins, clashing with my flames." Gabriel matter-of-factly states in a relaxed manner.

"T-That's horrible! Isn't there something to be done? I can..."

As Iris spoke up in shock and pity, Gabriel rose his left hand to forestall her as he then calmly spoke.

"Now that my [Armor of the Emerald Dragon] is a part of me, and the powers that went with it, all I can do is manage the effects. I've built up a high pain tolerance, and I can ignore it for the most part. Meditation sessions helps with that. The pain further fades when I am sleeping, and when I'm being... _intimate_ in my off hours with a few willing nurses. Hehe."

As Gabriel nonchalantly chuckles at that last portion, Iris' horrified and worried expression then suddenly turns bright crimson all the way up to the tips of her ears in embarrassment. She looks down and awkwardly fidgets with her hands and sleeves as her thoughts race...

' _T-Then those three nurses gossiping in the library spoke true... They've been laying with Lord Gabriel whenever he returned from his journeys in the outside world... How embarrassing!'_

Shaking his head at her now befuddled and awkward expression, a mischievous smirk crossed his lips as he gently leaned forward, and blew into one of her ears. Needless to say, the effect was immediate...

"Eeeek!"

The little fairy-girl jumped, completely startled by the sudden and unexpected stimuli as she rubbed her ear and bore a _very_ pouty expression.

"L-Lord Gabriel~! Please don't do that! I-I'm very ticklish there~..."

"Hah-hah-hah-hah!"

Iris was taken off-guard by Gabriel's sudden jovial and good-natured laugh, and although it had obviously come from her expense, her pout was replaced with a relieved smile. The pain she felt from Lady Alisha's beloved Lord Gabriel was like hot needles stabbing into the skin, and it horrified her that he had to endure such a thing. And it still did.

She knew of [Blood Magic], thanks to some obscure texts that Lady Alisha had deliberately misfiled away in a remote and seldom visited corner of the library. Given that, her heart felt like it would burst from the knowledge that Alisha's "gift" was partially responsible.

Even so, the fact that Gabriel endured it without complaint, and harbored no ill will towards Alisha, clearly showed her that it was an unforeseen side-effect, and it did nothing to damage his feelings for her. Something she could clearly sense as he spoke of it earlier. She felt nothing but fondness and love coming from him when he spoke of Alisha and her [Blood Magic]. It was both moving and inspiring in her eyes, as she then elegantly bowed to him.

"My Ladies Artorias and Alisha would be proud of thee, Lord Gabriel. Please, allow me to say that I would be honored to swear my loyalty to you.~"

Perking a brow at her declaration, Gabriel was taken a back. He hadn't expected such a reaction from her, but knew her settings enough to know that she was empathetic and compassionate being. He silently mused that due to the circumstances, with Alisha gone, and him still honoring her memory in his own way, her loyalty was transferred to him, after a certain set of unknown conditions were set...

' _Hehe... Knowing her love of role-playing, I'd feel safe wagering a month's supply of YGGDRASIL gold that's the case... Ah, what a headache. It feels like I was the only one who was never really into the whole RPing aspect of things...'_

"I accept your vow, little one. And thank you."

"Of course... my lord. Is there anything I can do for you before I take my leave?"

"Just continue being who you are, Iris. Who my late wife helped to create. That'll be more than enough." Gabriel says with a fond smile.

"O-Okay. Please, take care my lord." Iris says with a bow, before then disappearing in a flash of vanilla colored light.

"Well, well. That was a pleasant surprise... Huh."

His encounter with the creation of his wife and his friend's/protégé's wife was an unexpectedly warm and pleasant one that he greatly enjoyed. In fact, he remembered the amused grins and comments that Draconis had made back then about it, and felt that he finally understood what he was going on about back then.

' _Hehe... I wonder what the kid would have thought about seeing Iris now... His reaction probably would've been even more amusing I'm sure. Such a cute, little thing trying to be serious is just so endearing... Those two really outdid themselves with Iris' creation. Kind of wish that the kid was actually here to see it...'_

A wistful smile crossed Gabriel's lips as his thought drifted to his friends that he left behind back on Earth. Everyone that he knew and was unlikely to ever see again. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling to him. He's had to leave behind many friends over his long life, though he would be lying if he said that it got any easier. It never did. Especially if has known them since their days of youth.

That most especially applied to Draconis, as Gabriel's thoughts then drifted to their very first encounter that he spoke of it to Walter and Tamura in their meeting **(A/N:Ch.16)**. When he found him as an angry child, beating up teenagers two, maybe three times his size, and he had in fact intervened on the boy's brutal beating of them. He found his memories drifting to that time with a nostalgic smile...

* * *

 _The young boy was wild and yet focus as his beating continued. Perhaps too focused, as Gabriel silent walked being, placing his right hand on his left shoulder. His reaction was to immediately stab Gabriel in the thigh with a hidden switchblade. The boy that would become Draconis was then left stunned. Instead of a scream of pain and/or a violent retaliation, he received a raised brow and a kind, knowing smile from Gabriel that towered over him by over 6-feet._

 _Still smiling, Gabriel slightly tilted his head to the side as their eyes met. There was no anger. No pain. No resentment. Instead there was empathy and understanding in his gaze, as he then lifted his hand from the surprised, slack-jawed 13-year-oldish boy, lightly tapping his forehead._

 _"Overdoing it a little bit, don't you think kid?"_

 _The calm and casual manner he had approached the situation shook the young boy to his core. He jumped away as if he had received an electric shock. Gabriel was standing in place with the switchblade still sticking out of his leg. The boy was left dumbstruck as he gazed upon the odd pair before him. A tall man with long, blonde hair, and to his left side was an astonishingly beautiful woman with shortcut, raven-black hair, who watched on with an odd mix of curiosity, concern, and amusement._

 _"Gabe honey, I think you startled the young lad.~" Alisha said with a honey-like voice that made the boy's heart flutter._

 _There was a wry chuckle as Gabriel surveyed the situation. Two of the older teenagers were dazed and moaning in pain, while the third was an unconscious, bloody mess. He looked briefly at the boy's bloodied hands, and it became apparent that he had handily thrashed the others bare-handed. He also took a moment to look over the boy himself._

 _He was a scrawny 4-foot, 8-inch (142.2cm) build, with reddish hair, and a light tan skin complexion. If he had to guess, the boy had Native-American and Irish ancestry from the blend of features, though he couldn't be 100% certain. His left eye had a partially healed vertical scar over his face and eyelid, indicating a lost eye from a blade injury. The remaining right eye was a sea-green, mixed with a light-brown shade, and it clearly communicated the boy's confusion, uncertainty, and a still present anger tapering off._

 _Just looking at him, Gabriel could tell a few other things. The kid was a fighter and scrapper, with a relatively short fuse, and had been deeply wounded emotionally. By what, he could not say, but it was clear to him that it was traumatic. It was like starring into an image of his past-self from long ago. Sensing his emotions, Alisha laid her right hand upon his left shoulder, and the two of them shared a thoughtful gaze._

 _No words needed to be spoken between them. She felt his emotions and intentions, and she shared in them. They both nodded in wordless agreement, and then looked back to the shaken young boy who warily looked on at them. Gabriel then pulled the switchblade out from his thigh, showing no signs of pain, and used a handkerchief to wipe his blood off the blade before folding it back in on itself._

 _Holding his hands up in a non-threatening manner, still holding the folded switchblade in his left, Gabriel slowly walked forward towards the young boy. As expected, he was on guard and wary as his good eye darted side-to-side to each of them. He was not sure whether to run, or to remain. Especially when the tall Gabriel still walked towards him. Slowly, without a limp, or even a hint of pain._

 _That impressed the boy, but also the man's disarming look. Still there was no anger, nor pain, but instead sympathy and kindness. The young boy could only growl at this. Why was this man acting like he cared? Why did it seem like every time his gaze met his, that he knew him like he had known him his whole life? It both infuriated and confused the boy as he shook his head from his daze._

 _In his moment of hesitation and self-reflection, he suddenly found himself face-to-face with Gabriel. The boy's mouth and eye widened in shock. His reaction asked the question of, just how did the distance between them close so quickly and quietly? One moment he was walking towards him, the next he was kneeling on one knee looking right at him! It spooked the young man out of his wits, and he was on the verge of running._

 _Then, before he could make good on what his instincts were screaming at him to do, Gabriel's left hand extended in a gesture to return the switchblade to the boy. As the boy looked on, clearly confused by the gesture, Gabriel spoke in a soft, almost teacherly tone of voice._

 _"Kid, never lose grip on your weapon if you can help it. If I were really intent on harming you, this could easily be pointed right back at you."_

 _The young boy blinked at what he had heard. This strange man was giving him advice, and was trying to give back his switchblade! To which he hesitantly accepted. Just then he noticed the beautiful woman standing next to the kneeling man, who then gently placed her right hand on his left shoulder before speaking in a playfully admonishing tone._

 _"Now, now Gabe dear.~ Don't be like that. The young lad is already spooked enough as it is, so the least you can do is introduce us."_

 _"Hehe... Ah, of course... As always you're right, angel." Gabriel says with a chuckle, before continuing to speak with a soft tone._

 _"My name is Gabriel. Gabriel Lee Drakes. This is my wife, Alisha."_

 _At being introduced, the beautiful woman smiled and waved in a friendly manner, and the boy felt as confounded as ever. They completely ignored the three teens that he had beaten into a bloody pulp, ignored the injury he caused the man named Gabriel like it was a simple paper-cut, and were treating him in a friendly manner that was not at all faked._

 _None of it made sense, and was well outside the scope of his limited experiences. Just before he could make another move, Gabriel extended his left hand out, and then spoke again..._

 _"And you, kid? What's your name? I mean, it's only fair since you know who we are, and you DID stab me in the leg. Hehe..." Gabriel said with a whimsical chuckle and a playful grin._

 _The boy had a blank expression as he looked at Gabriel, then back to the switchblade that was returned to him, and then back to Gabriel. He let out a defeated sigh as he began to speak..._

 _"Yeah... Right... S-Sorry about that, Mister Gabriel." He said in an embarrassed tone, now suddenly feeling awkward about this situation._

 _"Heh. You can drop the 'Mister', kid. A simple 'Gabriel' is fine. And? What's your name?"_

 _"O-Oh. Right. Well, my name is..."  
_

* * *

Just then, Gabriel's reminiscing grinds to a halt as his hand brushes up on the [Crystal Tablet] that was left behind, containing the latest reports that Iris mentioned. An annoyed sigh leaves him as he realizes that he still had work to do before the day was done.

"Huh. Ah, alright. Let's see what this latest report has to say..."

After grousing, he taps the item, and with a few chimes, the first item was an update regarding research into a substance called [Dragon's Breath], or what this new world calls methane. It is a substance that the Dragon Rider Country uses and weaponizes regularly, since their alchemists had discovered it. They had learned to enchant the gas to a certain extent to enhance its more "explosive" properties, and the Keep had learned to take it a step further, making it even more explosive with smaller amounts.

' _With this little breakthrough, creating more cost-effective weapons and booby-traps should be a little easier, and can supplement the Keep's defenses... Though it's unlikely that ANY force could pose a threat here, I'd be a triple-damned idiot if I didn't try to fortify our defenses, both on the inside and outside...'_

Seemingly satisfied, Gabriel moves onto the next item in the report. Something that had been bothering him ever since his meeting with the "merchant" Leol in the Baharuth Empire City of Kesavine. **(A/N:Ch.14)** Namely, the gold purity and quality of the coins that they created for use in the outside world, and as he read the report, it felt like a dark cloud came over him.

He already knew about their unknowing mistake of creating forgeries of older coins, and had it corrected accordingly. Though he was now learning that their processing and purification methods of gold and other ores was light-years ahead of what was possible in this world. As a result, impurities were nonexistent, quality of resources increased, and their value was disproportionately HIGHER than normal currencies in this world.

This alone would draw a great deal of unwanted attention if anyone picked up on this like Leol's alchemist did. Though his NPCs groused about it, they complied with their orders of creating "lesser quality" coinage. As if the slipshod and primitive nature of the currency wasn't offensive enough to them. Still, they carried out their orders with unmatched professionalism, and Gabriel could not be more proud of them for it.

Although, the next item on the same topic elicited an audible groan from Gabriel as he spoke.

"Oh, fer' crying out loud... I'm sooo fucking glad I told them to use the gold we mined here instead of YGGDRASIL gold... Ugh..."

According to the report in hand, it seemed that quality and value of YGGDRASIL gold coins FAR outclassed gold of this world, regardless of refinement and purification methods used. This was further compounded by the fact that ALL gold from YGGDRASIL was denser, more pure, and was naturally magically enchanted, which only further increased its value. Refined YGGDRASIL gold in the form of YGGDRASIL coins...?

' _I feel a headache coming on... A single YGGDRASIL coin has already been estimated to be worth two-and-a-half times that of a local coin at a mere glance. That doesn't even include the superior quality workmanship, its "artistic" value, and its purity. One YGGDRASIL coin could very well be worth ten or more times that, if this report is accurate. Christ! Even our currency could break this fragile world! Oy... I think I owe Alisha and some of the other online forum-goers an apology for doubting them...'_

Gabriel audibly groaned as he thought back to all the online discussions that his late-wife had anonymously taken part in. Specifically, what a single YGGDRASIL gold coin could be worth if it truly existed in IRL. The debate even drew in the attention of real-world economists oddly enough, and they reached the conclusion that it would be worth approximately 1,000,000,000 Japanese-Yen, or 9,382,150 US-Dollars. And THAT was even before inflation!

With a fatigued sigh, Gabriel decided to move on from that mental topic, and with a "swipe-left" motion, he moved on to something that piqued his curiosity. Namely, research into the possible reproduction of YGGDRASIL [Data Crystals]. Since YGGDRASIL item enchantment relied on it, it seemed prudent to investigate whether or not it could be done, while finding ways to utilize enchantment methods from this new world.

Since a [Data Crystal] in YGGDRASIL was something bought or harvested as a "drop" in a game, it did not surprise him when he learned that they did not exist in this world. What also didn't surprise him was the reactions of the Drake Rider Country magic casters conducting the research.

Just to be on the safe side, he ordered that only lvl-10 [Low Class] crystals were to be provided, along with the appropriate cover stories, and his instincts proved to be correct. They had gone on and on about how "revolutionary" that they were, since it eliminated the need for expensive reagents and materials needed for their methods. The report described them acting as "crazed children" upon examination of the items.

Again, Gabriel expected that reaction in the face of new technology. Of course, he was likewise unsurprised that no progress had been made. After all, even THEY had no idea had to go about it. Still, there was a slim chance that in time, a breakthrough could be made. Even if it would not bear fruit any time soon.

With that, and a few other routine updates on potion, food, and item production, as well as an updated timetable for the deployment of agents and spies, Gabriel set the tablet aside. He then recalled Iris' earlier comment on his workstation being password locked, and he had to admit that curiosity got the better of him.

With a wave of his hand, the crystalline "screen" lit up, and sure enough he was greeted with a menu asking for a password. At first Gabriel took note of the fact that the UI, or user-interface, was almost exactly like that used in YGGDRASIL, before simply dismissing it as a byproduct of the New World Transfer. He thought on what Alisha would have come up with lorewise for the password, before deciding to run some tests with random bits of information.

First, his date of birth of June 14, 1904...

' _ACCESS DENIED.'_

"Huh. She really went all out with the lore here... Let's see... What else...?"

Next, he tried a random phrase in [Blood Magic] lore, "Blood calls out for blood", and...

' _ACCESS DENIED.'_

"Alright. This is starting to annoy me... Hm?"

' _WARNING!...'_

Suddenly a message flashed, warning Gabriel that if the incorrect password were to be input a third time, then all information contained would be erased. An amused chuckle was brought out of Gabriel as he spoke aloud to this.

"Hehehe... Way to go all out with the role-playing nonsense, angel... Aaaah... What would she think of?... Hmm..."

He sat for a full minute before deciding on his next, and possibly final input key input, of using the sign/countersign that he, Alisha, and her Acolytes often used to identify each other...

' _What is a man, but a wealth of untapped potential.'_

After a few seconds, a new prompt lit up the crystal screen...

' _ACCESS GRANTED.'_

"Heh... About damn time. You _really_ went all out there, angel."

A light chuckle escaped him as he thought back on his late-wife's almost pedantic attention to detail in her work on the Keep. Thoughts that halted as a new menu screen loaded up, giving him an assortment of options to choose from. As he perused the contents, he noticed an option to review dossiers of the guild's known friends and allies. He decided to choose that option first, as he was feeling both curious and nostalgic at the prospects.

One of the first categories that appears is "clans", which is just a step down from a guild. They typically had a lower number of Players, and "rented" a headquarters in the game, instead of finding and conquering a dungeon to convert into a base. Which is how most guilds started out, including Gabriel's guild of the "Dragon's Inquisition", and the guild of "Ainz Ooal Gown".

Selecting it, Gabriel comes across a listing for the "Hateful Eights". A clan of eight Players, as the name implied, and one known as a "mercenary clan" that could be hired by other Players. What most didn't realize though, was that they were silent allies with the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown, whom gave them info on other guilds that hired them. A proposal spearheaded by Punitto Moe and Bellriver, and an arrangement that worked to their advantage.

With a smile he saw the picture of the clan-leader's avatar named, "Alcatraz". Outside of the game, he was a sort of an "accidental" friend, when he and Alisha saved him from dying outside of a tech conglomerate he had blown up like a black-ops terrorist. Although his situation was vastly more complicated and sordid than that.

Despite everything, they became friends later on, and even knew his and Alisha's secret. In fact, it was he who came up with Gabriel's nickname of "bonehead" for Momonga from the guild of Ainz Ooal Gown. He chuckled as he recounted the event. Momonga was always formal with him and using the honorific of "-san", despite both of them being guild-leaders, and him repeatedly telling him to drop the honorific.

Gabriel did not blame him for it though. He was the polite sort and meant well. Still, it frankly annoyed him that no matter how many times he told him to speak casually with him as a fellow guild-leader in their meetings, he continued to do it. Especially when he was not one for overt formalities between friends and allies. A sentiment that he complained about to him once, and Alcatraz in his infinite wisdom said something along the lines of...

" _Maybe you should turn the tables on that bonehead to get your point across... Wait... THAT'S IT! It's perfect!"_

So, from that day onward, thanks to a suggestion from Alcatraz, he started calling Momonga "bonehead", as a double pun. Referencing his Overlord avatar, and his inability to stop calling him "-san". Of course Momonga hated it, but Gabriel nonchalantly replied...

 _"Tell you what... You stop adding '-san' to my name, and I'll stop calling you 'bonehead', bonehead."_

But that never happened, right up until his disappearance. A thought that made Gabriel wonder aloud...

"I wonder how Alcatraz is doing right now... Last time I saw him, I helped him reconcile with his estranged son... Didn't bother to log back into the game after that... Huh. I hope those two stay out of trouble...Heh."

Gabriel smiled at that as he moved on to the next dossier, and found one for another IRL friend and fellow guild-leader Alphonse Von Lusolth. In life he was an actor, computer programmer, and something of a "renaissance man" with many hobbies and interests. Although, about three months before the Transfer, he was dying from a rare form of heart cancer in a hospital bed.

Both Gabriel and Alisha visited him, not knowing if it would be for the last time, so they could make an offer; for Alisha to heal him using [Blood Magic]. The toll for it would not endanger her, but for Alphonse, the healing would come at a cost of becoming something else. He would be similar to Gabriel, but slightly more vampiric. He would never again be able to step outside into the sunlight, for it would burn his flesh.

In addition, there was the possibility of other, unforeseen mutations occurring that would vary from person to person. After all, a vampire healing a human with [Blood Magic] can and _would_ come at a cost. As expected, Alphonse was resistant to it once he was given all the details. He'd rather let nature take its course, than risk being turned into something inhuman, regardless of any reassurances they could have given him.

Alisha was willing to honor his wishes, despite her own feelings, but Gabriel was not so willing, and used a rather underhanded tactic to convince him. Namely, he knew that Alphonse was in a relationship, and guilt-tripped his friend into taking the risk not for just his own benefit, but for his lover's. He winced at the memory as he recalled the dirty looks Alisha silently shot him, and the resulting private argument it caused later.

However, in the end Gabriel's morally dubious method worked, and their friend accepted their offer. Thankfully, the worst side-effects he experienced was the extreme photosensitivity, his eye coloration changing to red, and him physically being unable to tolerate vegetables and milk products. Although they got lucky with his case.

"Huh. He got married shortly before the Transfer. I wonder how he's doing..." Gabriel idly says to himself with a whimsical smile as he continued to peruse the "database" before him.

He was amazed by the level of detail in the files, silently wondering how much in [Cash Shop] items and programming tools it took to set it up. It was so detailed that he began to wonder if it could have had a practical use outside of a prop...

' _Hmm... I'm getting the distinct impression that Alisha used this as a sort secret cache of files. She did have a habit of backing up information in places that most people wouldn't think to look... Hrm? What's this?'_

Gabriel's idle thoughts came to a halt as he noticed a small, glowing red icon on a file containing the Player roster for Ainz Ooal Gown. So small that any normal person would have missed it. Even he would have missed it back in his original world and body, but fusing with his [Human-Methuselah] avatar more than made up the difference. A feeling of dread that he couldn't quite explain sank into the pit of his gut as he hesitantly selected the file.

At first everything seemed normal. It was a collection of dossiers with pictures of the avatars used by the guild-members. A familiar sign of his late-wife's role-play at work. Though he could not shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right. After scrolling down a couple dozen profiles, he saw that same, easily missed red icon on the profile of Ulbert Alain Odle, the hateful, misanthropic "chuunibyou" of the guild.

The word "chuunibyou" was most often a derogatory Japanese colloquial term used to describe a person who manifested delusional, and/or extremely eccentric behavior. In Ulbert's case, an obsession with the concept of "evil", but Gabriel knew that he used it as a means to vent his disillusionment and discontent with the hand life had dealt him.

Although at times it made him an insufferable ass that lashed out at others in his envy, or his perceived "right" to try to tear down others. Simply because he thought that they were clueless about what a hard life was. Of course, this at times made him incapable of empathizing with others, or stopping to consider that perhaps they _did_ know what it felt like, and simply found a ways to move past it.

He remembered an altercation that Ulbert had with his wife one day, over some rather stupid and careless remarks he made... But as he thought back on this, he selected Ulbert's profile, which gave a surprising amount of information. His date of birth, name of birth, occupation, and various other miscellaneous things, like his family history.

As the information gatherer/broker of the guild, Alisha made it a point to investigate and compile a frightful amount of information. Even the IRL information of "noteworthy" Players was not safe from her scrutiny. Which was what Gabriel was sifting through, until he reached a section labeled, "Current Status". His eyes widened and a cold pit formed in his gut as he read it and bang of regret and anger flared within him.

According to what he was reading, Ulbert had been "embraced" by a vampire master affiliated with the Vampire Hierarchy's ruling Council, and it happened less than two weeks prior to the New World Transfer! The term "embraced" was a euphemism used to describe the event when someone was taken and turned into a vampire. Often against their will, and to be used as a slave for their "sire". Which seemed to be the case as Gabriel read Alisha's last notation...

 _-At present, the whereabouts of Ulbert and who conducted his Embrace is unknown. I cannot investigate too far into the matter without drawing The Council's attention, and I've already stirred their pot enough as it is lately. Will tell Gabe about this when the time is right. Too much going on right now...-_

A weary sigh escaped Gabriel's lips as he spoke to himself in a tone of pity and regret.

"Oh, Ulbert. You were a foolish malcontent, but even you didn't deserve that..."

He thought back to the time period noted, and he indeed felt that Alisha was distant and preoccupied at the time, but didn't inquire further, as he often did when he sensed that it involved business with The Council. He hated their dealings and machinations, and was only too happy to keep his distance. Not just for him, but for her as well. As he shook his head, he went back to the list of guild-members to see if there was anything that he missed.

Indeed there was, as the next file was that of Momonga himself, which made Gabriel's brow twitch as he selected it. He hurriedly scrolled down and found the most recent entry...

 _-Efforts to find and locate Momonga's father have proven difficult. After he abandoned his wife and son, all traces of him seems to vanish. Efforts are ongoing. However, despite Gabe's history with this family, I fear what this means if even I can't seem to find this man...-_

"Huh... I see she kept looking for that ass that abandoned Momonga as a kid, after I mentioned it a few years back... And I have to agree, angel. It's not normal for someone to stay hidden from _you_ of all people. Hmm..."

A dark look of contemplation came over Gabriel's features as he cupped his chin. Just as he had helped others reconcile their family matters, he wished to do the same for Momonga. Even if they had never met outside of YGGDRASIL, they had been on friendly terms for quite some time. Mostly due to their shared friendships with the [World Champion] class Sir Touch-Me, and a few others in Nazarick.

Of course, he already knew his real name of "Suzuki Satoru" beforehand, and the "history" that Alisha mentioned in her notation was a reference that seemed to briefly unsettle him.

' _Alisha always liked to say that, "there's no such thing as coincidence"... Well, I'm just glad that this encounter with this bloodline went better than the last...'_ Gabriel idly thought as a dark look crossed his features.

Pushing those thoughts away, he then continued looking through the list of members until the last name appeared. Bellriver. A good friend and an extremely intelligent individual, he worked in finances and data analysis, and was a prudent and realistic person. He worked with both Gabriel and Alisha during their trips to Japan and somehow figured out Alisha's true nature. She was tempted to bring him in as her Acolyte, due to showing such promise and potential.

Although it did not come to pass, they kept in touch via YGGDRASIL and other methods. Before the Transfer, he hadn't heard from him in over a year, but did not think much of it. He was rather preoccupied at the time, but now regret sank into his heart as he saw that red icon on his profile picture. Once again, that feeling of dread crept up his spine as he selected and scrolled down his profile, and saw a single word that inflamed his anger and wrath...

 _-...DECEASED...-_

Gabriel's eyes widened and his Emerald Flames spontaneously leaked out, as he huffed in anger and confusion. His flames billowed out from his mouth, nostrils, and even the pores in his skin as he gripped his desk so hard, that it made its Álfheimr Steel Oak buckle and crack under the pressure. Realizing his mistake and loss of control, he closes his eyes and breathed in an even manner, until his flames receded and regained his calm. After achieving this, he asked the one question that would have occurred to any...

"Why?"

Though his voice was a draconic growl, there was a shock and pain that resonated within it. He has experienced that loss of friends before. Whether it be through natural causes or not, but he would be lying if he said that it got any easier. Especially when he received the news in such a blindsided manner. As he scrolled through the notations, he found his answer...

 _-I'm finding it difficult to update Bellriver-chan's profile. His analytical and attentive mind finally got him into more trouble than he could handle, and compiled information regarding the mega-corporations' activities, and linked some of them to the Hierarchy. An incredible feat to be sure. Tracing their connections in the business sector should be like trying to find shadows in a darkened room, and yet he somehow managed it. He contacted me via code and left me the information he acquired, but they already arranged an "accident" for him beforehand. I fear that I was careless. I should have anticipated that they were aware of his intentions to use the information he gathered.-_

 _I can only hope to make use of this information when the time is right. Until then, I can do nothing to move on the perpetrators, nor can I tell my love of this right now. His unspoken promise to stay out of Hierarchy affairs will only go so far, and while I trust him, I do not want him to blame himself as I do. So I will erect a memorial for Bellriver-chan in the Hall of Remembrance, and wait for the right time to tell Gabe. I am sure he will understand my reasons, even if I must bear the brunt of his initial anger. I do not like keeping things from him, but it is the only way. I must also ensure that Touch-Me-kun does not get himself and his family into too much trouble investigating Bellriver-chan's death. His zeal for justice, whether as an officer of the law or in YGGDRASIL while admirable, can lead him into things he cannot fight...-_

"..."

Left speechless from the material, Gabriel could only sit, simmer, and fester in an ever-growing whirlwind of emotions. His breathing become hard-edged and forced through his nose as he maintained control, leaning back on his seat with closed eyes. He could not refute what his late wife/bondmate/lady-love had written in what was akin to a journal entry. Rather, he silently chastised himself...

' _Good God... I knew something was bothering her back then, but THIS?! I get why she didn't tell me, but how could I have been so oblivious? Bellriver was a good kid! Damn it all!'_

Gabriel forcefully exhaled as he turned his impotent anger inward, blaming himself for not only the loss of another friend with whom they shared their trust and secrets, but for not being aware of these events. For not paying closer attention, despite his unspoken agreement with his wife to distance himself from Hierarchy affairs after the couple worked to ensure that their world's environment was safeguarded, despite the Hierarchy's wishes.

Now, just as he had once blamed himself for Alisha's death, he now blamed himself for not being there for Bellriver. For not knowing of it. For not doing more. Then, a force echoed within the depths of his subconscious as his rage became directed towards himself.

" _ **/I will never understand the human compulsion for self-blame. It is quite foolish, needlessly destructive, and... very human. Hmph! Do not be so eager to direct your anger inward, young Gabriel. You are not to blame. The blame lies with the Hierarchy Council, and their puppets in those mega-corporations. It is they who deserve your ire. Save your rage for them.../"**_

As the voice in his mind fades, Gabriel seems to regain his composure as he leans forward and opens his eyes. His vision focuses on the notation referencing the "Hall of Remembrance". It was located between levels 2 and 3 of the 8th-floor, and from what he knew, the majority of NPCs considered it sacrosanct. It was a memorial or mausoleum of sorts.

No one went there, and ever since everything became real, neither did Gabriel. Even when Alisha's memorial was erected there, it was handled by his own personal NPCs and the Area Guardians of the Treasury, the Overlord "Sisters of Fate", Clotho, Atropos, and Lahkesis per his instructions.

Shaking his head and letting out a forceful sigh, Gabriel idly thought to himself as he left the dossiers...

' _I just hope "Sir" Touch-Me heeded whatever advice Alisha gave him. He was very devoted to his work as a police investigator. Now his exit from YGGDRASIL makes more sense. If Bellriver's death was dressed up as an accident, then of course he'd be looking it. Which explains why he wouldn't say anything to anyone. He wasn't the type to openly discuss things like an ongoing investigation...'_

Perusing random files to try and take his mind off the most recent revelations, he thought back to his friend with the ridiculous pun name, Sir Touch-Me. Some people, himself included, added the "Sir" suffix due to how much he acted like a knightly hero of justice, and to try to make his name sounds at least a little better.

He met the man during the Arcology War when he was younger, and despite coming from a rich family, he wanted to forge his own lot in life. First as a military man, then as a police officer, and then an investigator. Despite Ulbert's shortsighted labeling of him as a "natural born winner", Touch-Me never coasted on his trust-funds. He worked hard and earned his own keep. He had always admired that about his old war-buddy, and was there with Alisha when he married, and when his children were born.

"Hm? What's this now?"

Despite his anger this fuming under the surface, Gabriel's sharp eye caught a listing in his files labeled, "Current Projects". Once more his thoughts went to Alisha, whom was ALWAYS busy working on something inside the Keep. Sometimes to an obsessive degree. Now knowing what he did, Gabriel concluded that her deep dive in YGGDRASIL was perhaps not just role-playing at work, but was likely also her preferred method of escapism. Her way of getting way from the headaches that the Hierarchy caused.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Gabriel now found himself curious to know what crazy ideas she was working on last. As he recalled, she farmed for materials for days on end almost nonstop. Sometimes with help from himself and Jon, and other times doing it solo. The benefit of being a nonhuman with nanomachines changed with [Blood Magic]. It meant longer gaming sessions, with fewer breaks.

As expected, when went through the files he discovered that she had several projects in the works. Some were completed, while others were half-finished, abandoned, or still "in-progress" with initial proto-types completed. Quickly going through the listings, he found the most recent and final entry. An item she created called the, [Worlds' Gate]. Intrigued, he accessed the file and found a few notations describing the project that read as follows...

 _-'After conducting a very careful data analysis of YGGDRASIL's size, I have discovered the possibility that the "shitty-devs", as others have so quaintly put it, have perhaps been hiding a sub-realm within the currently existing nine worlds. This would make a sort of sense, if the old mythologies are anything to go by. Still, given the on-going Player conflicts, and the massive swaths of uncharted territory within YGGDRASIL's current nine worlds, finding a path to this undiscovered "world" could very well be impossible. Something that would not surprise me in the least, given the developers proclivities for rather... mischievous moves.-_

 _-Since even the most vaunted [Gate] spell has its limitations, the new item I am creating will theoretically bypass those limitations, and send the user to whatever world they wish. The proto-type is now complete, with plans for another version. Gathering the needed materials has been difficult. All of them are very rare, but the rarest was that of the [Primordial Dragon of Life Scales] that Alphonse was kind enough to provide from his own avatar. I have profusely thanked him for that. My love Gabe likes to tease me over all the "tinkering" I do, but I know he only does it because he enjoys seeing this side to me...-_

"..."

Silence.

Even within Gabriel's mind, that is all there was. All thought, movement, and sound ceased to be as another revelation hit him like bolt from the blue. Not the fact that the shitty-devs had potentially hid another "world" map within the game's code, but the fact that due to the nature of the New World Transfer, the item that Alisha had created had the potential to send him back to Earth! The prospects froze him on the spot.

He had all but accepted that he was stuck in this new world with no way back. He resigned himself to that fact. He had accepted it. Now? It felt like reality itself was twisting around his very psyche. His once impotent wrath and anger that was directed towards the architects of his wife's murder and his suffering was potentially no longer out of reach.

That prospect alone had reignited his rage that could only be directed inwards, as he ground his now elongated "claws" on the tips of his fingers on his desk. Now with this new information, two different desires warred within him. The first was his promise to Alisha, that he would not seek out revenge, bury himself in hate, and to move on with his life. **(A/N:Ch.2)** That memory, and his responsibility to the Keep that they had created together kept him going.

However, the second desire that he thought he buried, was now rising to the surface like a soon to explode volcano. As his inner war and turmoil swelled, a draconic growl echoed within as his inner dragon's voice rang out in his subconscious...

" _ **/Well, well, well... Your late love is full of surprises, even after death. What will you do now, young Gabriel? Will you bound yourself in a promise to her, and continue to stew in your own ire, or will you seize this chance? None would interfere if you exacted your just revenge upon The Council.../"**_

Just as that inner voice rang out, it projected a power and influence over Gabriel that magnified his feelings and desires several fold. He clenched his teeth as his canines slowly morphed into draconic-like fangs, and his Emerald Flames engulfed his eyes, and billowed out from his mouth like that of a dragon.

*CRACK!*

His desk audibly buckled and cracked under the pressure of his grip as Gabriel's thoughts and desires warred within him. Although, his promise to Alisha once again found itself on the losing side as memory unbidden flooded his mind. Of when he and Alisha traveling across the world, being used as tools to further the Hierarchy's ends, and put down "rogue supernaturals". Many of those times were justified, but he wondered if they had been pushed into it by the bastards that took everything away from him.

Then his thoughts turned to all the lives that they had ruined, and due to his bond to Alisha, he was powerless to do anything about it. Not just him, Alisha, and Bellriver, but the many others who suffered, died, or were enslaved like Ulbert was. More and more he found fewer and fewer reasons to honor his promise to his love. Then suddenly, his inner dragon roared from within him in its own anger and frustration.

" _ **/STOP FIGHTING IT YOUNG FOOL! YOU KNOW IN YOUR HEART YOU WISH THIS! DO THEY NOT DESERVE YOUR WRATH?! DO THEY NOT DESERVE TO DIE FOR ALL THEY HAD DONE TO YOU AND HER?! WHAT THEY WOULD HAVE DONE TO SPEED ALONG THE RUINATION OF MOTHER EARTH, HAD YOU NOT ACTED?! DO YOU REALLY THINK IT'LL STOP THERE?! CAST ASIDE YOUR WORTHLESS DOUBT AND HESITATION! IF YOU ARE TRULY A MAN THAT WAS WORTHY OF HER LOVE, LET YOUR VENGEANCE FLOW!/'**_

"GRAAAAAAAAH!"

*CRASH!*

Gabriel roared as he stood up and slammed his bleeding fist onto the desk, splitting it in two. His breathing was labored as he fought to regard his calm. All the anger and frustrations he had buried still filled his veins like lava, threatening to engulf him and any around him. Just then he regained some rational thought as he activated his [Ring of Message], and contact the elves guarding his office.

 _[Guards, do not under an circumstances, enter my study until further notice. That is an order.]_ Gabriel resolutely stated with an authoritarian tone that brooked no argument.

 _[B-By your command, Lord Gabriel!]_ The two NPCs on the other side of the doors shakily replied in unison, after hearing their master's tone and lashing out.

Disconnecting the [Message] link, Gabriel began to regain his calm as his flame aura dissipated, and he lifted his right fist, forcibly opening his palm. It bled profusely from the fact that his now retracting "claws" deeply dug into his flesh. His regenerative healing quickly repaired his small wounds as the blood on his hand was drawn back into himself.

The blood still on the desk and floor itself smoked, bubbled, and burned where it lay, but Gabriel ignored this as if it were normal as he looked upon his hand with a calm but focused expression. A façade that belied the fact that inwardly he was like a firestorm, ready to burn all that displeased him to ash, with him as the eye of that storm.

"I'm sorry, angel. It seems I'll be breaking another promise to you..."

Gabriel's voice was equal parts mournful and resolved as he once again activated his [Ring of Message], this time contacting the Commander of all the Keep's NPCs and Alisha's personal creation, Walter Bernard Montgomery.

 _[Sir? How may I be of assistance?]_ Walter's calm, gentlemanly voice replied over the link.

 _[Walter, come to my office with Tamura and Charon. There's something we need to discuss.]_

 _[Of course, sir. We're on our way.]_

 _[Message Ends]_

With that, Gabriel walked over to the nearby conference table, lit a cigarette for himself, and waited for his top NPCs to arrive. His hard-edged gaze was like a man possessed as he patiently stood by, now with a new, all-consuming purpose fueling him; he would return to Earth, and make the Vampire Hierarchy Council pay. And God help anyone that tries to block him...

* * *

 ***A/N: Whew! Sorry for the long wait, but as you can see, some BIG things are in store! Hold onto your butts. Things are about to get crazy! And not in ways you'd expect. Hopefully I'll be able to get the next out a little faster. Oh! Also, if you noticed all the references and call-outs to other fanfics, rest assured that they were done with the permission of their respective authors, with the alt-versions and ideas likewise meeting their approval. Always remember to do that if you're ever thinking of doing the same. After all, it's respectful and courteous. Until next time! :)***


End file.
